Former CEO of Property Assessment Appeal Board Simmi K. Sandhu has been appointed to a three-year term as chair of the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT), the independent tribunal established under the Civil Resolution Tribunal Act.
The CRT has jurisdiction over strata property disputes, small claims disputes of $5,000 or less, motor-vehicle injury disputes of $50,000 or less, motor-vehicle accident benefit disputes, and some disputes under the Societies Act and the Cooperative Associations Act.
Simmi received her bachelor of laws degree from the University of British Columbia and was called to the B.C. Bar in 1990. As a lawyer, Simmi has worked for ICBC, the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia, and in private practice.
Her areas of practice included administrative law, civil litigation, corporate and commercial law, and real estate transactions.
Simmi has training and extensive experience in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, including online dispute resolution, in the administrative tribunal sector.
In 2019, Simmi was appointed by the United Nations General Assembly as judge on the United Nations Appeal Tribunal (UNAT), the second level of appeal of the United Nations Internal Justice System. She serves as vice-president for UNAT.
Since 2015, Simmi has served as the full-time chair and CEO of the Property Assessment Appeal Board (PAAB). She was vice-chair of PAAB from April 2001 to October 2015, and the Surface Rights Board from July 2007 until 2021.
Simmi serves as chair of the Circle of Chairs, an informal organization of chairs of administrative tribunals in B.C.
Simmi is past president, secretary and director of the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals (BCCAT). As an instructor with BCCAT, Simmi teaches in the field of administrative law, hearing skills, and decision writing and has instructed hundreds of adjudicators over the years. Recently, Simmi assisted in developing a workshop for adjudicators on intercultural competency and implicit bias. Simmi has been active in the Canadian Bar Association (B.C. Branch), including serving on their equality and diversity committee.
In 2014, Simmi was honoured with the BCCAT award for exceptional service to the administrative justice community.
Simmi’s term as chair of the Civil Resolution Tribunal starts June 13, 2022.
