Legal Services

An online tool to help you find a legal advocate and anti-poverty organizations that can help with issues related to family law, debt, welfare, housing, disability, human rights, employment and workers’ rights. The database includes women's shelters, settlement programs, and other community services. You can search by areas of advocacy or city.

Offers representation for people who have applied for a review panel hearing with the Mental Health Review Board under the Mental Health Act, and for people who have a BC Review Board hearing under the Mental Disorder Provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada.

This phoneline helps you report a racist incident and connects you with community supports, including how to make a police report. The phoneline can also connect with counseling and some legal assistance. From the Ministry of the Attorney General in partnership with the United Way.

The Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition offers advocacy services, including communicating with the police, government, and other organizations regarding human rights complaints. VIHRC also supports and assists in filing complaints with the BC Human Rights Tribunal and Canadian Human Rights Commission.

For Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) individuals and families in BC. Provides free legal and wrap-around services for tenancy, human rights, employment, family, and other legal matters. Trans ID and fingerprinting clinics are also available regularly.

The Community Law Advocacy program provides free and confidential service to people with poverty-related legal issues including human rights, employment, debt and collections, and tenancy. Helps with appealing denials and applying for provincial and federal benefits of all kinds. Victim Services program is also available.

Book an appointment to speak directly with a court registry employee for assistance with court related matters by video or phone. Court registry staff will try to answer your questions about court processes, but they cannot help you complete your forms or give legal advice.

Provides support from legal advocates who are trained to assist the South Asian community. Issues covered include applying for income assistance, PWD, OAS, crime victim assistance program, CPP, CDP, EI, CTB, daycare subsidy. They also help with tenancy matters, general police complaint, and debt-related matters.

Clinic providing prison-related legal aid (other than appeals) to people in federal and provincial prisons. Advocates help with issues including segregation, disciplinary hearings, involuntary transfers, parole suspensions, detention hearings, and sentence calculation. Services may range from summary advice to legal representation at hearings.

To qualify for a legal aid lawyer, your legal problem must be covered by their legal aid rules and you must meet their financial guidelines. When applying, intake staff will ask you for complete and true information about your legal problem, income, savings, and assets. Proof of the financial information you provide is required.