Legal Services

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.

These service providers located throughout BC have partnered with Legal Aid BC to improve access to legal aid services in rural, remote, and Aboriginal communities. They help you get free legal information, call legal aid, find your nearest legal aid location, get legal help online, and connect with people who can help.

Legal Aid BC staff who guide you through the legal aid process, if you're a legal aid client. They answer questions about legal aid, provide practical support, help with your appointments, communicate with your lawyers, find specialized support services for your needs, and connect you with duty counsel, Family LawLINE, and other community services.

Law students will come to William Head Penitentiary and the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (Wilkinson Road) and may be able to provide advice and assistance to inmates.