Construction Adjudication in Alberta
Under the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act, RSA 2000, c. P-26.4
Adjudication gives Alberta construction parties a fast, interim-binding decision on a payment dispute, administered by ARCANA (AB) and ADACC. The determination must be complied with immediately, even if a party later challenges it in court or arbitration.
Because the timetable is short and the determination is enforceable, the strength of the documentary record usually decides the outcome.
Alberta adjudication deadlines
The statutory clocks for this topic in Alberta, with section citations.
| Clock | Value | Statute |
|---|---|---|
Adjudication referral window Time to refer a dispute to adjudication, counted from the final payment on the contract rather than from completion. AB PPCLA Section 33.4 | 30 days after final payment | AB PPCLA Section 33.4 |
Adjudicator determination Days for the adjudicator to issue a binding determination after receiving the claimant's documents. AB PPCLA Section 33.6 / PPAR Section 26 | 30 days | AB PPCLA Section 33.6 / PPAR Section 26 |
Comply with determination Days to pay an amount ordered by an adjudicator. AB PPAR Section 26 | set by the adjudicator's order | AB PPAR Section 26 |
How a dispute is referred in Alberta
A claimant gives notice of adjudication and the parties either agree on an adjudicator or one is appointed by ARCANA (AB) and ADACC. The claimant then delivers its materials to the adjudicator within a short window.
By when a dispute has to be referred in Alberta
Alberta allows 30 days to refer a dispute to adjudication, counted from the final payment on the contract rather than from completion (AB PPCLA s. 33.4(2)). That anchor is specific to AB, so a contract that reached completion long before the last payment can still be adjudicated here when it could not be elsewhere.
The adjudicator's timetable
Once the adjudicator has the claimant's materials, the determination is due within 30 days (AB PPCLA s. 33.6 / PPAR s. 26(1)). The period can sometimes be extended by consent, but the default is deliberately fast so cash keeps moving on the project.
Comply within the time the order sets
An amount ordered by an adjudicator must be paid within the time set in the adjudicator's order (AB PPAR s. 26(2); PPCLA s. 33.61(1)(a)). Failing to pay can entitle the other side to suspend work and pursue enforcement. A party that disagrees can still litigate or arbitrate, but must pay the determined amount in the meantime. When a dispute escalates, Tiercord assembles every related artifact into a chronological brief with hash metadata.
Adjudication in Alberta: FAQ
Who administers construction adjudication in Alberta?
ARCANA (AB) and ADACC.
By when must a dispute be referred to adjudication in Alberta?
30 days from the final payment on the contract (AB PPCLA s. 33.4(2)), not from completion.
How long is there to comply with an adjudicator's determination in Alberta?
the time set in the adjudicator's order (AB PPAR s. 26(2); PPCLA s. 33.61(1)(a)) after the determination is issued. The determination is interim-binding, so it must be paid even if the underlying dispute later goes to court.
See the full Alberta guide
Every deadline, notice and adjudication rule in one place.