This August marks 5 years since my appointment as Chair of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, with two years remaining in my current term. I stepped into the role in August 2021, after 5 years as a Member, at a time of unprecedented challenges. The Tribunal faced spiking case volumes while resourced at the same level as at its establishment. It was severely understaffed, lacked organizational infrastructure, and had significant gaps in policies, procedures, and systems leaving it ill-equipped to navigate the challenges confronting it.

With the support of the Tribunal team and our stakeholders, I have steered us through what has been an endless stream of challenges, overseeing many changes whose impacts will ripen in the coming years. Those changes include more than a doubling in size thanks to a budget lift in 2023, restructuring, establishing a mediation program, developing services for Indigenous parties, reforming workflows, reforming processes including for screening and for administering our s. 27 discretion, the adoption of new policies and procedures, and the standardization of processes.

While the Tribunal itself has stabilized, the challenges facing us have not. Case volumes continue to rise. New challenges continue to emerge. Meanwhile, our resources remain uncertain and insufficient in the face of rising demand, particularly absent Government approvals for functioning, modern technological tools.

The work we have done to weather these challenges is not perfect, nor is it finished, but I am confident that the Tribunal is stronger and more resilient than it was five years ago. While delays will persist, they have stabilized, and parties should experience a smoother, albeit still-slow, process.

I believe that most people support the principles of fairness and equity, which are the cornerstone of the Human Rights Code. As someone who has been passionate about these principles since my youth, it has been an extraordinary privilege to serve in this role, which affords an opportunity to advance them. I have appreciated the early support of Government and the ongoing support of the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General and others. I remain passionate about human rights, administrative justice, and the potential for the sector to deliver transformative solutions to people in accessible ways.

My vision for the path ahead remains clear, and my commitment to the Tribunal firm. However, with old roadblocks remaining and new ones ever-arising, I have found it more difficult to find the energy to point out the same pressures, make the same asks, and fight the same fights in the absence of the tools we have needed since the start. As a result, I have made the very difficult decision to step away from the role before the end of my term to focus on other areas of life.

December will see a new Chair step into the role after my departure at the end of November. In the meantime, I will continue to keep the Tribunal steady as new staff join us and process reforms take root. I extend my gratitude to the Tribunal team and all those who have contributed to our work these past 5 years.

We will post the Notice of Position on our website when it is live. I encourage those looking for an opportunity to be of service to British Columbians doing work that is equal parts challenging, exciting and meaningful to apply.