- Pre-requisites for Practicing Mediation in British Columbia
- Working in the Field of Mediation
Pre-requisites for Practicing Mediation in British Columbia
Mediators in British Columbia come to the field from a variety of backgrounds including law, insurance
adjusting, social work, education, psychology, architecture and accounting.
The mediation training of practicing mediators is equally diverse. One of the reasons for this is that the
practice of mediation is not regulated in the province. There is no overall governing professional body which
certifies or licences mediators, and no legislation which requires that specific standards be met before
mediators are allowed to practice.
There are, however, a number of dispute resolution organizations in the province which provide standards of
practice for mediators. The B.C. Mediator Roster Society, for example, has set training and experience standards,
as well as standards of mediation conduct to which the members of its Civil and Family Rosters must subscribe.
These standards are used by the Society as admission criteria. They must be met in order to be admitted to the
Society's Civil and Family Rosters. The Law Society of B.C. has also set standards; lawyers must complete
three years of practice and take a minimum of 40 hours of training in family law mediation in order to conduct
family mediations.
Several dispute resolution organizations offer certification for mediators.
Family Mediation Canada (FMC), the Mediation Development Association of B.C. (MDABC), and the B.C. Arbitration and Mediation Institute (BCAMI) offer a
voluntary certification process which many of the province's mediators have completed. These
organizations' certification requirements include mediation training, practical experience and the successful
completion of a skills-based assessment.
Most of the province's dispute resolution organizations also offer their members a range of services and
benefits. These include professional development opportunities, public exposure resulting from the
organizations' promotional work, opportunities to interact with other mediators, and information about
significant developments in the field of conflict resolution.
The B.C. Mediator Roster Society provides mediators on its Civil Roster with opportunities for appointment as a
mediator under the province's Notice to Mediate Regulations and under Small Claims Rule 7.3. All of the Notice to Mediate Regulations provide
that where parties are unable to agree upon the selection of a mediator, any party may apply to a "roster
organization" designated by the Attorney General for the appointment of a mediator. The British Columbia
Mediator Roster Society has been designated as a "roster organization" for the purpose of these
regulations. Similarly, when parties are unable to agree upon the selection of a mediator under Small Claims Rule 7.3 -
Mediation for Claims Between $10 000 and $25 000, any party may apply to the Society for the appointment of a mediator.
You can visit our webpage called Appointment of Mediators to
find more information about the Society's role under the Notice to Mediate Regulations and Rule 7.3.
While being a member of the B.C. Mediator Roster, or any other dispute resolution organization, is not a
prerequisite for practicing mediation in British Columbia, many practicing mediators are members of at least one
such organization. In addition to receiving the membership benefits described above, many mediators believe that
consumer confidence and interest in using their services to resolve disputes increases when they are known to be
affiliated with a recognized dispute resolution organization.
Many of the province's mediators also participate in mediation education and training opportunities. There
are numerous dispute resolution education and training opportunities available through educational institutions
and private trainers in British Columbia. Several of the educational institutions offer some form of
certification in dispute resolution or mediation. Many mediators find that completing a certificate program
provides significant benefits, both in terms of increasing their mediation knowledge and skills, as well as in
their ability to market their mediation practice.
A number of dispute resolution organizations require their members to participate in educational or professional
development activities on a regular basis. For example, the B.C. Mediator Roster Society requires its Civil and
Family Roster members to complete 20 hours of ongoing education or professional development annually, in order to
maintain their membership.
For more information about dispute resolution organizations or mediation education and training opportunities in
British Columbia, visit our Organizations or Education and Training Opportunities pages.
Working in the Field of Mediation
While the use of mediation is increasing in British Columbia, it is still unusual for mediators to make their
living solely by practicing mediation. Most of the province's mediators maintain a practice in another field
or work at another job, in addition to offering their mediation services.
Many mediators find it a challenge to establish or expand their mediation practice. Like building any business,
it requires effort, focus and a willingness to market one's services creatively and aggressively.
For ideas on how to build a mediation practice in British Columbia, click here.