What we do

ADR Institute of Ontario: Providing ADR Practitioners and the Public with Up-to-Date Resources and Services

The ADR Institute of Ontario Inc. (ADR Ontario) is one of six affiliates of The ADR Institute of Canada, Inc. (ADR Canada), a non-profit organization that shares information, promotes ideas for continuous improvement and upgrading of ADR as a profession.

Our goal is to assist our members, and users of ADR services, by:

Providing information and education
Maintaining high professional standards,
Providing a regulatory structure to ensure members adhere to high standards of professionalism
Assisting users of ADR services to locate ADR professionals, as required.

ADR Ontario performs all of the following functions for professionals in the field and users of ADR services:

We set the “gold standard” to protect the ADR profession and the public served by ADR professionals

Developed by ADR Canada and ADR Ontario, the following documents and practises constitute a regulatory structure that ensures high standards of conduct, practice and procedure among ADR professionals in Ontario:

A Code of Ethics by which all members must abide, failing which, an established complaint and discipline process can be initiated;
National Arbitration Rules and National Mediation Rules provide clear, concise processes and procedures for the conduct of commercial arbitrations and mediations. The rules developed by ADR Canada and recognized across the country establish time lines and procedures that provide practitioners and users with certainty and clarity, allowing for effective and efficient case administration;
Standards for approving arbitration and mediation training courses
ADR Ontario carefully evaluates training programs according to established criteria to ensure approved programs meet critical standards;
A procedure for granting to our members the highest and only nationally-recognized professional accreditation or designation in Canada, namely, that of Chartered Mediator (C.Med) and Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb);
A procedure for provincial accreditation of Certified Family Mediators (Cert. F. Med.) and Certified Family Arbitrators (Cert.F. Arb.);
The Child Welfare Secretariat of the Ministry of Children and Youth Services has specifically approved the Cert. F. Med designation as a qualifying prerequisite for the Child Protection Mediation Training offered by various colleges and universities.

ADR Ontario informs, educates and updates its members by:

Conducting leading-edge, live and distance education courses, seminars, conferences and workshops to assist practitioners with skill development and provide up-to-date information on new and emerging areas of interest relevant to arbitration and mediation;
Creating “sections.” These are small groups based on mediation and arbitration specialties. Specifically, we have sections on restorative justice, family, employment, mandatory mediation, information technology, intellectual property, facilitation etc. Each section holds its own meetings at the ADR Ontario offices, with guest speakers as well as our own, home-grown talent;
E-Publishing of “ADR Alerts” for urgent, late breaking announcements of critical importance to the membership, the Ontario newsletter “ADR Update” which is also electronically published and the Canadian Arbitration and Mediation Journal, which is published at the national level and mailed to all members of ADR Ontario. These important, timely publications provide information on the latest developments at the Institute, current events that effect the practice of arbitration and mediation, new developments at the provincial or national level and articles on improving skills in arbitration and mediation.

ADR Ontario assists arbitrators and mediators to be heard by:

Liaising with government departments and corporations to inform and educate these bodies on issues that involve or have an impact on arbitrators and mediators;
Cooperating with other alternative dispute resolution organizations to ensure the government is informed on issues relevant to arbitrators and mediators.

ADR Ontario provides a method for the public to find and engage qualified mediators and arbitrators by:

Creating the highest and only nationally-recognized professional credential in Canada, the Chartered Mediator (C.Med) or Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb) designation. Choosing a mediator or arbitrator with these credentials is your assurance of quality and experience;
Providing members of the public with access to “ADR Connect,” ADR Ontario’s central electronic databank, from which arbitrators and mediators can be selected based on a wide range of criteria including accreditation, specialty, years of experience etc.. (The updated version of ADR Connect will be available early in 2008.);
The creation of special rosters to service particular organization.

To join, or for further information, contact Mena Peckan at ADR Ontario:

Head Office and Mailing Address:

ADR Institute of Ontario, Inc.
234 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 405
Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1K5

Phone Number: (416) 487-4447
Fax Number: (416) 487-4429
Email: admin@adrontario.ca