What happens at a landlord-tenant hearing?

Claims up to $100,000 go to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS), or the Alberta Court of Justice. The applicant must serve the other side at least 3 clear days before the hearing. The hearing is by telephone. The tribunal member decides then or gives a written decision within 30 days, and orders can be conditional. An order to end a tenancy has to be filed with the Court of King's Bench before a civil enforcement agency can act on it. We found no published wait time for an RTDRS hearing.

The Residential Tenancy Branch holds a dispute resolution hearing, where an arbitrator decides. The application fee is $100 for either side, and a fee waiver is available for hardship. If the tenant applied in time to dispute a notice, the notice is on hold and the landlord must give evidence that it was lawful. The earliest expedited hearing is usually set 12 days after the application, or 6 days in extreme cases. The decision is due within 30 days after the proceedings end and is final and binding.

Hearings at the Residential Tenancies Branch are public and run on a docket at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Notice of the hearing goes out at least 5 days before. Mediation is offered at screening. The hearing goes ahead if a party does not attend, and a tenant who missed a non-payment hearing may need the Commission's leave to appeal. The Branch will not grant possession on an invalid notice. A decision usually comes within 2 working days. The Act says a decision of the director or the Commission is not subject to appeal or review by any court. We found no published wait time to get a hearing.

The Office of Residential Tenancies (ORT) charges a $50 non-refundable fee. The director can direct a hearing by electronic means or by telephone. If a person was given notice and does not attend, the hearing officer may proceed and decide as though they were present. A person who did not receive notice, or who was not heard, can ask for a rehearing. When the officer grants possession, the order may include a writ of possession to the sheriff, which expires after 30 days unless the officer sets another date.

The Landlord and Tenant Board hears applications such as an L1 for unpaid rent. Most orders are issued within 30 days of the hearing. For L1 applications on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues at the hearing must give advance written notice and pay half the arrears claimed directly to the landlord at least 7 days before the hearing. It cannot be paid to the Board in trust. At every eviction hearing the Board must consider relief from eviction. For a landlord's own-use notice (N12), the notice period is at least 60 days, and for demolition or renovation (N13) it is 120 days. We did not find hearing-room or video-platform details in the sources we used.

The landlord applies in writing to a residential tenancies officer with the notice (the Landlord Application for Assistance). The officer investigates after hearing from the tenant and may issue an Eviction Order (Form 9), which the sheriff carries out. The government site says applicants get confirmation within one business day and a case number, and urgent cases go first. We found no published wait time for a hearing or decision.

A Residential Tenancies hearing is held by telephone after mediation is tried. A mediated settlement is binding and cannot be appealed. The fee for a Form J application is $31.15 and may be waived for income assistance or GIS recipients. The applicant serves the notice of hearing and returns a certificate of service within 7 days. Evidence must be exchanged at least 5 days before the hearing, a counterclaim must be filed within 7 days of receiving the notice of hearing, and the order comes within 14 days of the hearing. Landlord's use, or demolition or major renovation, need a Director's order.

The Director may refuse an application, mediate, hold a hearing (oral, by phone or in writing) or issue an order without a hearing. A mediated settlement is signed and not appealable. The order is due within 90 days after the application, but a late order is still valid. At IRAC, appeal hearings are by teleconference and IRAC aims to give at least 7 days' notice. A landlord's move-in notice needs at least 4 months with compensation, and a notice for repairs or renovations needs the Director's approval first.

An Application for Dispute Resolution for vacant possession costs $20 in the material we reviewed; confirm the current fee with the Residential Tenancies Office. It can be filed before the termination date, but the hearing cannot be held before it. The applicant must serve the respondent 10 clear days before the hearing, and an application not served within 3 months expires. Hearings are by teleconference. If the applicant does not attend, the application is dismissed, and if a properly served respondent does not attend, the hearing goes ahead. The director may mediate. In urgent safety cases the director may order possession without a hearing.