16. A proceeding is initiated by a Notice of Hearing issued by the Superintendent.

17. Pre-Hearing Conference

17.01 An Advisory Board may direct the parties to participate in pre-hearing conferences for the purposes of:

(a) identifying and simplifying issues;

(b) identifying facts or evidence that may be agreed upon;

(c) exchanging documents among the parties;

(d) identifying and resolving preliminary objections or procedural problems includingissues relating to disclosure, witness statements, expert witnesses, particulars, examination of parties and the exchange of submissions;

(e) deciding procedural issues including the dates by which any steps in the proceeding are to be taken or begun, and estimating the duration of the hearing;

(f) considering applications for party status;

(g) setting the date for the hearing;

(h) settling any or all of the issues in dispute or,

(i) deciding any other matter that may aid in simplifying the proceeding or ensuring the quickest, most just and least expensive determination of the issues on their merits.

17.02 An Advisory Board shall issue a procedural order setting out the results of the pre-hearing conference, setting forth orders, agreements and undertakings made at the pre-hearing, and setting out the date of the hearing and the issues that are to be determined.

17.03 After the pre-hearing conference has been held, no other issues shall be added without leave of the Advisory Board.

18. Notice of Pre-Hearing Conference

18.01 Where a pre-hearing conference is to be held, the Registrar shall give written notice of the pre-hearing conference to the parties and to such persons as the Advisory Board directs.

18.02 A pre-hearing conference may be held in person or electronically.

18.03 The Notice of a Pre-hearing Conference shall include:

(a) the date, time, place, format and purpose of the pre-hearing conference;

(b) notice that the parties are required to exchange or file documents or pre-hearing submissions, and the date by when they are required;notice that the parties are required to exchange or file documents or pre-hearing submissions, and the date by when they are required;

(c) whether parties are required to attend in person, and

i. if so, that they may be represented by counsel or agent; or,

ii. if not, that their counsel or agent must be given binding authority to make agreements and undertakings on their behalf respecting the matters to be addressed at the pre-hearing conference;

(d) notice that if a person other than a party does not attend at or participate in the pre-hearing conference, the proceeding may continue in the absence of that person and the person will not be entitled to any further notice in the proceeding;

(e) notice that the issues or some of them may be settled at the pre-hearing conference; and,

(f) notice that orders may be made at the pre-hearing conference that will be binding on all parties with respect to the proceeding, including setting the dates for a hearing.