Land and Property Rights Tribunal – About

Tribunal governance, operations, mission, vision, values, and membership.

Mission, vision and values

  • Mission

    The Tribunal shall deliver fair and impartial quasi-judicial appeal processes for assessment, compensation, land use planning, and other matters that impact Albertans and the municipalities in which they live.

  • Vision

    The Tribunal will be a leader among tribunals with a reputation for excellence in adjudication.
    Albertans will have access to a fair and independent process with strict adherence to the principles of natural justice and in which all individuals are treated fairly and without bias in an open, orderly and impartial manner.

    This vision will be attained by:

    1. providing benchmark decisions
    2. advocating excellence and providing guidance in decision making to stakeholders
    3. demonstrating efficiency, effectiveness and timeliness in the appeal process
    4. respecting rights of individuals, businesses, corporations and municipalities
    5. ensuring that all property assessments are equitable, fair and correct in accordance with legislation
    6. striving for consistency and predictability based on evidence presented
  • Values

    In service to stakeholders the Tribunal values:

    1. Our strength through the diversity of our members and the quality of our staff.
    2. The right to natural justice and timeliness in the adjudication process.
    3. Respect for and responsiveness to our stakeholders.
    4. Provision of quality service to stakeholders.
    5. Consistent interpretation of legislation.
    6. Commitment to the Code of Conduct and Ethics.
    7. Organizational alignment and a team approach to problem-solving.
    8. Innovative use of automated information services.
    9. Continuous organizational development, self-improvement and self-evaluation.
    10. Enriched and rewarding work environment which recognizes productivity.

Governance

The mandate and roles for the Land and Property Rights Tribunal covers the previously separate Municipal Government Board, Land Compensation Board, Surface Rights Board and New Home Buyer Protection Board which are now amalgamated under the Tribunal.

These documents are available in the Open Government Portal or by searching the list of public agencies:

Tribunal leadership team

The Tribunal leadership team consists of a full-time chair, executive director, director, 2 managers and 2 board solicitors.

  • Chair – Susan McRory

    Susan McRory spent 20 years as Alberta’s chief environmental prosecutor. During that time, she helped develop and grow the province’s system of creative sentences for environmental offenders. Prior to her work in the environment, she was the first full-time female Crown prosecutor north of Edmonton, the first woman appointed a chief Crown prosecutor west of Ontario, and routinely handled murder cases before being recognized as the Edmonton office’s expert in historical child sexual assault.

    Leaving Alberta Justice in 2013, she served as a member of the Environmental Appeals Board for Alberta, a public member with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, and has co-authored the 2nd edition of Regulatory Offences in Canada with Canadian legal legend John Swaigen. She lives in Edmonton with her husband, Tim; her cats, Charlie, Samantha and Livy; and their new dog, Lily, across the street from the house her grandfather built in 1912.

  • Executive Director – Mike Hartfield

    Mike Hartfield has been with the Land and Property Rights Tribunal since 2015, serving as its Director, now Executive Director. He’s a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 20 years of business experience spanning private industry, public accounting, federal and provincial governments. In his spare time, Mike enjoys golfing and driving his kids to their various sporting events.

  • Director – Vacant

    Currently in interviews to refill this position.

  • Solicitor – Mike D' Alquen

    Mike D’Alquen was counsel for the Municipal Government Board and the New Home Buyer Protection Board from 2007 to 2021, when they amalgamated with the Surface Rights Board and the Land Compensation Board. He continues to serve as counsel to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal, with particular emphasis on land planning and assessment matters. Mike also worked with the Municipal Government Board from 2004 to 2007 as case manager for Linear Property and Assessment Appeals.

  • Solicitor – Shannon Boyer

    Shannon is Legal Counsel to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal, with particular emphasis on surface rights and expropriation matters. Shannon currently lives in Edmonton with her spouse and 2 boys. She obtained her L.L.B from the University of Alberta. Shannon practiced general litigation in Edmonton for 17 years, before being appointed as a member to various provincial boards. She was first appointed to the Municipal Government Board in 2013, shortly thereafter was appointed to the New Home Buyer Protection Board and subsequently the Surface Rights Board and the Land Compensation Board, the 4 boards amalgamated in 2021 and Shannon served as full time Board Member until November 2022 when she became the Tribunal’s legal counsel.

  • Manager – Amy MacArthur

    Amy MacArthur joined the Land and Property Rights Tribunal in 2019 as an Issues Advisor, before she transitioned to her current role of Manager. As the Manager of Operations and Training, Amy is responsible for the Tribunal’s various IT projects, coordination of internal and external training programs, and general administration of Tribunal operations.

  • Manager – Frances Gunraj

    Frances has been with the Land and Property Rights Tribunal since 2013, and is now serving as its Recovery of Compensation Manager, where she is responsible for providing leadership to a high-performance team and overseeing a large volume of applications. Frances holds a B.Sc. in Business Management and Finance. 

Membership

The Tribunal consists of a chair and 77 members. All members are appointed by Order in Council based on their experience and knowledge of assessment, compensation, planning, development and quasi-judicial processes.

For new Tribunal member recruitment opportunities and information on how to apply, go to current board opportunities.

Tribunal panels generally consist of a presiding officer and 2 members, or a single member, at the discretion of the Chair.

Compensation disclosure

Download the Land and Property Rights Tribunal compensation disclosure (for June 2, 2021 to December 31, 2023):

The following boards amalgamated into the Land and Property Rights Tribunal in June 2021. Download their compensation disclosures (for 2018 to 2021):

For inquiries regarding the Land and Property Rights Tribunal compensation disclosure, contact Mike Hartfield, Executive Director at [email protected].

Contact

Connect with the Land and Property Rights Tribunal:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed noon to 1 pm, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2444
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-427-5798
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Land and Property Rights Tribunal
2nd Floor, Summerside Business Centre
1229 91 Street SW
Edmonton, Alberta  T6X 1E9