Legal information

The Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC website has information and resources about legal issues that affect Indigenous peoples, including:

• family law and child protection;
• matrimonial property on reserve;
• fishing, hunting, and gathering rights (harvesting rights);
• First Nations/​Indigenous Courts; and
• legal help from Legal Aid BC and other groups such as Gladue reports through BC First Nations Justice Council.

BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) provides culturally appropriate information, advice, support, and representation for Indigenous people. BCFNJC operates justice centres and provides Gladue services. Call 1-877-602-4858 for more information.

Indigenous Justice Centres (IJC)
IJCs run by the BC First Nations Justice Council offer culturally appropriate advice and representation services to people with criminal or child protection issues. The centres are located in the following communities:

• Chilliwack
• Kelowna
• Merritt
• Nanaimo
• Prince George
• Prince Rupert
• Surrey
• Vancouver
• Victoria

Eligible callers can also get help through the Virtual Indigenous Justice Centre. Call 1-866-786-0081 for more information

The Clicklaw website has links to legal information, educational resources, and services to help British Columbians. Here, you can find out about your rights and options to solve legal problems, find phone numbers for law-related help, and learn about family law and the legal system.

A community worker or legal advocate can help you find solutions to your legal issues. To find a community worker in your area, see PovNet or AMSSA (look under Resources). Or contact your local library to find a community group that can help you.

Dial-A-Law is a service of the People’s Law School. It features free information about the law in British Columbia in 190 topic areas. You can listen to Dial-A-Law information over the phone or read or listen to it on the website.

Call 604-687-4680 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-800-565-5297 (elsewhere in BC).

Family justice counsellors (FJC) are trained mediators who can give you information about the law and the court process, and help you reach an agreement. They can also refer you to counselling, emergency, or other services. They work at Family Justice Centres across BC and at the Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, and Victoria Justice Access Centres.

To find a FJC, see the BC Government website (in the search bar, type family justice counsellors).

Call Service BC at the numbers below and ask for the centre nearest you.

The Family Law in BC website has legal and step-by-step information about family law, including:

• plain-language general legal information,
• frequently asked questions,
• step-by-step guides,
• definitions of legal terms,
• links to court forms,
• illustrated stories
• short online videos, and
• information about, and links to, who can help you.

At Justice Access Centres, you can:

• learn about the court system and court procedures,
• get legal information,
• find and fill out the right court forms,
• find out about free legal advice resources, and
• learn about alternatives to going to court, including mediation and other dispute resolution options.

For more information, go to the BC Government website (in the search bar, type justice access centre)

The Justice Education Society of BC website has information for couples separating, including the online course How to Separate, which helps people through separation or divorce. It includes information on how to settle out of court and how to prepare for court. The society also has interactive guides for parents, kids, and teens about separation and divorce.

Parents Legal Centres provide eligible parents with a free lawyer and an advocate to help them address a social worker’s concerns about their children’s safety (child protection) early on and to find solutions that work for the family.

You may be eligible for PLC services if you qualify financially, and you are a parent, guardian, or person standing in the place of a parent. Services are available anytime after you’re first contacted by the ministry or a delegated Aboriginal agency.

Call 1-888-522-2752 (1-888-LABC-PLC) or the Legal Aid BC Call Centre at 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC).

Peoples Law School is a Vancouver non-profit society that provides free legal education and digital and print information to help people deal with everyday legal problems. Call 604-331-5400 for information.

VictimLinkBC is a confidential, multilingual, free phone service is available across BC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides information, support, and referrals to services or contacts in your community. Interpretation services are available for all the major languages spoken in BC. Call or text 1-800-563-0808, or email VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca.