What are the steps in a typical Canadian grievance procedure?

Most Canadian collective agreements set out a multi-step procedure: an informal discussion, a written grievance to the immediate supervisor (step 1), escalation to senior management (step 2), a final internal step with head office or a joint committee (step 3), and finally referral to arbitration. The exact configuration varies by agreement.

How long does each step take?

Each step has its own response window set by the agreement. Typical ranges are 5 to 15 working days per step for the employer to respond, with a similar window for the union to escalate. The cumulative timeline from filing to arbitration referral is usually between 30 and 90 working days, but this depends entirely on the specific agreement.

Can steps be skipped?

Some agreements expressly permit policy or discharge grievances to be filed directly at a higher step. Others allow the parties to agree in writing to skip a step. Skipping a step without authority under the agreement or the other party's consent creates an arbitrability objection that can derail the grievance.

What happens at arbitration?

Once a grievance is referred to arbitration, an arbitrator is appointed under the agreement's appointment clause or by the provincial or federal labour relations board. The arbitrator hears evidence and argument, typically at one or more hearing days, and issues a binding award. This article is general information, not legal advice — consult counsel for any specific matter.

The Step Grievance Process Explained

A plain-language walkthrough of the multi-step procedure used in most Canadian collective agreements — from informal discussion through arbitration referral.

The shape of a Canadian grievance procedure

Almost every Canadian collective agreement sets out a multi-step grievance procedure. The exact configuration varies — some agreements have two steps, some have four — but the underlying shape is consistent. The process starts at the lowest level where the dispute can be resolved and escalates upward until it either settles or reaches arbitration. The goal is early resolution, and the procedure is designed to give both sides multiple chances to reach it.

Below is the standard walk-through. The specific steps, response times, and decision-makers in your workplace will always come from the agreement itself.

The steps in practice

Step 0 — Informal discussion. Most agreements either require or encourage an informal discussion between the employee (often with a steward present) and the immediate supervisor before a written grievance is filed. The objective is to resolve the issue quickly at the front line. There is typically no written record at this stage, but the steward should make notes — they may matter later on timing questions.
Step 1 — Written grievance to the immediate supervisor. If the informal discussion does not resolve the issue, the union files a written grievance at step 1. The document is the first formal record of the dispute. The supervisor has a defined response window — commonly 5 to 10 working days — to answer in writing. Attendance is usually the grievor, the steward, and the supervisor.
Step 2 — Senior management. If step 1 does not resolve the grievance, or the union rejects the step 1 response, the grievance is escalated to step 2. This step is typically heard by a department head or human resources manager. The attendees usually include a union business agent or senior steward alongside the grievor. Some agreements require a formal meeting at this step; others allow written exchanges.
Step 3 — Head office or joint committee. The final internal step, where the grievance reaches head office, the vice-president of labour relations, or a joint union- management grievance committee. This is usually the last chance to resolve the matter before arbitration, so both sides typically come with a clearer view of their case and their willingness to settle.
Arbitration referral. If the grievance is not resolved at the final internal step, the union refers it to arbitration within the timeline set by the agreement. The referral is usually a short letter to the employer invoking the arbitration clause and proposing an arbitrator or an appointment mechanism. From this point forward, the dispute is in the hands of a neutral arbitrator.

What a step letter looks like

Each step in the procedure generates a written record. For the union, that is the grievance form and subsequent escalation letters. For the employer, it is the written response at each step. A well-written step response acknowledges the grievance, identifies the articles in play, summarises the employer's position on the facts, and states whether the grievance is allowed, denied, or partially allowed. The same structure applies to a union's escalation letter — state the step, the articles, the facts, the remedy sought, and whether the previous step response is accepted.

Sertus drafts step letters automatically from the underlying case record, pulling the articles from the agreement and the facts from the intake. Because Sertus is built by the co-author of Canadian Labour Arbitration(Brown & Beatty), the drafting follows the structure that Canadian arbitrators expect to see on the paper record. This is general information and not legal advice.

Next steps

If you want to see what step management looks like inside Sertus, book a demo. See also our pages on grievance management, arbitration management, and AI-assisted drafting.

Last updated: April 2026

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