Land and Property Rights Tribunal – Overview

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.

As the Director of Operations since 2015, Mike has dual responsibilities for over 50 staff members and assists the Chair and assuming the role of Acting Chair in managing 70 board members. This requires a unique skill set combining expertise in finance, people management and administrative law. His background as a Chartered Professional Accountant with over twenty years of business experience spanning private industry, public accounting, federal and provincial governments has helped him navigate the difficult task of successfully amalgamating our four quasi-judicial boards into the Land and Property Rights Tribunal. An exponential increase in the number of appeals and applications to the Tribunal has required innovative and adaptive solutions, which Mike oversees. In his spare time, Mike enjoys golfing and driving his kids to their various sporting events.

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.

Karen obtained her LL.B. from the University of Alberta in 1989 and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1990. In addition to her law degree, Karen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in political science from the University of Calgary. Karen practiced law for 14 years prior to joining the Boards and has argued cases at all levels of Court in Alberta. Karen has also completed various continuing education courses in administrative law as well as Mediation of Civil Disputes through the Legal Education Society of Alberta. Karen joined the Boards in 2004, as a Board Member on the Land Compensation Board and Solicitor for the Surface Rights Board. Karen has been senior counsel for both Boards since 2007.

Karen is currently Chair of the Canadian Bar Association National Administrative Law Section. She co-chaired the CBA 2013 National Administrative Law and Labour and Employment Law Conference in Ottawa and has served as Chair the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Administrative Law (North).

Karen has delivered numerous presentations and lectures on expropriation, surface rights and related topics to such organizations as the Legal Education Society, Canadian Bar Association, Expropriation Association of Alberta, Alberta Surface Rights Federation and various Surface Rights Groups throughout Alberta, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) Canadian Association of Petroleum Landmen (CAPL) AAMDC, Municipal Government Board of Alberta , Alberta Energy Resources and Conservation Board ( now AER) and the Energy Regulatory Forum.

Karen has also been an active member of her community for many years. In addition to sitting as a Director on several boards, Karen has served as President of the Stony Plain & District Chamber of Commerce and President of the Stony Plain and Spruce Grove RCMP Victim Services Society.

Jennifer Chabot began with the Tribunal in 2010 and has risen through the ranks to become the Manager of Operations. In this role she is responsible for coordination of all aspects of Tribunal administration, to support staff and Members and assist Albertans. She has a wide and varied background, with a BSc in Nutrition and Food Sciences, a Certificate in Human Resources and Labour Relations, and she is a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR Alberta). Her work experience includes the private, non-profit and public sectors as a manager, human resource specialist, administrative assistant, benefits representative, insurance underwriter, and coach/fitness instructor. Jennifer describes herself as a ‘translator’ to help communicate business needs and coordinate projects between IT, management and staff. On a personal note, she is certified as a Life and Success Coach and a Health Coach.