Adjudication

Eligible payment disputes can be referred to an independent adjudicator. Who can refer a dispute, the procedure, and the effect of a determination depend on the governing framework. The authority depends on the province: ODACC in Ontario, ARCANA and ADACC in Alberta, the SCDRO in Saskatchewan and MPPAA in Manitoba. BC's prompt-payment regime and adjudication authority remain pending.

Tiercord tracks procedural clocks using the project's framework and the dates recorded on the adjudication. Provincial examples include:

• 5 days to submit materials.
• 30 days for the determination.
• 15 days to comply (BC and Ontario), 10 in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and in Alberta the time the adjudicator's order sets (PPAR s. 26(2)); no Alberta statute fixes a number of days.

When you can still refer a dispute varies: Ontario generally allows 90 days after the applicable completion event; Alberta uses 30 days after statutory final payment. Saskatchewan and Manitoba provide no general post-completion grace period; party agreement can matter. Manitoba’s determination period runs from actual receipt of all required materials, and its compliance period from provision of the determination.