Métis Justice BC
MNBC’s Ministry of Justice does not provide legal representation, legal aid, legal advice, or have available funding to provide for legal representation. If you have any questions about being connected with an external justice program, please reach out to justice@mnbc.ca
MNBC Justice Council President Lissa Smith (Chair) Senator Alan Edkins (MNBC Senate) Kaitlyn Jepson (MNBC Youth) Mark Carlson (BCMANR) Ted Ingram Peter Lang Glen Lucier Dr. Kate Elliott
Clicklaw Clicklaw provides easy to read legal information and education on a variety of topics. There is also a search bar where you can type your issue and location into the keyword section it will bring up pro bono or legal aid clinics in the area.
People Law School Peoples Law School offers easy to read legal information on a variety of topics.
Legal navigators can provide general information on the justice system, provide referrals to lawyers and legal programs, and help with filling out and filing paperwork. Some legal navigator programs include:
Legal Aid Navigator Legal Aid Navigators can provide legal information and referrals, assist in finding legal information and self-help resources, provide printed legal information, refer to duty counsel and other community services to get legal help.
Region 2: Vancouver
North Shore Community Resources:
The Family Law Advocate can help low-income clients on issues such as parenting time, child and spousal support, simple divorces and child protection matters.
- Clients at any income level are entitled to two hours of service. Anyone requiring more than two hours of service will be required to meet the low-income eligibility guidelines: income of $50,000 or less and $20,000 or less in assets.
- Christopher Mottershead is the family law advocate and can be contacted at 604-982-3304 or christopher.mottershead@nscr.ca
- The North Shore Legal Advocate can assist with issues involving a landlord, employment, income assistance, debt and other basic living legal issues, and provide referrals for other legal issues.
- Tannis Boxer is a legal advocate and can be contacted at 604-982-3310 or tannis.boxer@nscr.ca
- Nicholas Smith isa legal advocate and can be contacted at 604-982-3310 or nicholas.smith@nscr.ca
- The North Shore Legal Information and Assistance Coordinator is available to assist with legal aid referrals, wills and estates, debt and other issues. Contact Fariba Aghdassi at 604-982-3314 or fariba.aghdassi@nscr.ca
Region 3: Penticton
Access Centre Services and Support
https://accesscentre.org/services/
- Call 250-493-6822 or Toll-Free: 1-866-493-6822 or email support@accesscentre.org to get connected with community advocacy and go through the intake process. After completing the intake process, the Access Centre will refer you to their Family Law Advocate, their Legal Advocate, or Disability Advocate.
Access Pro Bono Access Pro Bono offers services across BC; programs include:
- Summary advice program: Free 30 minutes of legal advice over the phone granted after the intake process. Call 604-878-7400 or 1-877-762-6664 (toll free).
- Everyone Legal Clinic: Low-cost legal services to all British Columbians on a fixed-fee basis in person or by virtual connection. Articling clinicians work under the supervision of practicing lawyers and provide affordable help for legal matters such as family, tenancy/strata, employment, wills/estates, civil, corporate, consumer or criminal law issues.
- Access Clinic legal services through the 24/7 online booking service at https://accessprobono.ca/get-legal-help or by calling (778) 200-4478 on weekdays between 9:30am and 4:30pm.
Prisoner's Legal Services https://prisonjustice.org/home/
People incarcerated in British Columbia can access our services by calling 1-866-577-5245 (federal) or 604-636-0464 (provincial) from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. on weekdays. The phone lines are closed on Wednesday afternoons.
- Prisoner’s Legal Services can help people who are in custody with legal issues to do with incarceration and parole.
- Prisoners’ Legal Services provides legal aid assistance to people in federal and provincial prisons in British Columbia on issues that affect their liberty rights under s. 7 of the Charter, including:
- Structured Intervention Unit placement;
- Segregation/separate confinement;
- Supported Integration Placement (SIP);
- Disciplinary hearings;
- Sentence calculation;
- Transfers;
- Parole applications;
- Parole suspension; and
- Detention hearings.
Child & Youth Legal Centre https://scyofbc.org/child-youth-legal-centre/
The Centre provides legal support for children and youth across British Columbia who are experiencing problems relating to family law, child protection, a breach of human rights and many other legal issues for youth in BC. There is no income bracket, and the services are free for children and youth. Call 778-657-5544 or toll-free at 1-877-462-0037 or email at cylc@scyofbc.org to go through the intake process.
- The Centre provides legal support for young people who are experiencing problems relating to family law, child protection, a breach of your human rights.
Tenant Resources & Advisory Centre: Housing Law Clinic (TRAC) TRAC assists people across BC by providing over-the-phone tenancy information at 604-255-0546 or toll free at 1-800-665-1185.
The TRAC’s Housing Law Clinic Lawyer can provide free legal advice and/or representation for the following types of cases:
- You would like a Supreme Court Judge to review your Residential Tenancy Branch decision for a serious error or unfairness.
- You need help enforcing a Residential Tenancy Branch monetary order through Small Claims Court; or
- Your housing situation falls outside of the Residential Tenancy Act (e.g. co-operative housing) and you need legal assistance.
- To see if you are eligible for the Clinic services, contact TRAC’s Paralegal, Ana De Pablos, at 604-255-3099 ext. 230.
Indigenous Community Legal Clinic The Indigenous Community Legal Clinic provides free legal representation for those persons who qualify for legal assistance and have a legal issue that falls under the jurisdiction of the British Columbia provincial courts.
- administrative and civil law matters
- criminal matters
- Aboriginal law/Indigenous legal issues
- family law matters
- child protection
- human rights complaints
- letters of administration
- police complaints
To see if you qualify for representation, call 604 822 5421 or email iclc@allard.ubc.ca
Rise Women's Legal Centre Rise Women’s Legal Centre provides unbundled legal support to women and gender diverse peoples who are unable to access other legal services
RISE is only able to provide services in family law matters, such as divorce, custody, protection orders, child support, spousal support, and other matters covered under the Family Law Act or the Divorce Act.
If you would like information on finding a lawyer, please email intake@womenslegalcentre.ca with the subject line “Information on finding a lawyer” and indicate if you have a legal aid certificate or if you are paying privately. If you would like to know how to choose a Family Lawyer, please see https://bit.ly/risereport-chooselawyer
How to Request Service from RISE:
To get in contact with a representative and go through the intake process either call 236-317-9000, email intake@womenslegalcentre.ca or go to https://womenslegalcentre.ca/for-clients/#request-help and fill out the form.
- Your first call with Rise will be to speak to our legal navigators who will learn about your matter and will help you decide on the best resources for your case – whether that means bringing you into a Rise program or referring you to another organization that is better placed to help with your matter or timelines.
- To request service online please complete our “Request Help” form. If you are concerned that someone else may access your email do not use this form and contact us either through our safe web form or voice mail and let us know the safest way to communicate with you.
- For your matter to move forward you must complete the “Request Help” form. Once you complete the form and click SUBMIT, you will receive an automatic reply to the email address that you provide, with instructions on how to book an appointment to speak with a legal navigator by phone. (Please note because Rise is a teaching clinic, your intake call may be conducted or shadowed by a social work practicum student under supervision.)
Community Legal Assistance Society https://clasbc.net/get-legal-help/
Call 604-673-3112 or fill out the online form to determine which type of legal support you best qualify for: https://judicialreviewbc.ca/askaquestion/
Areas of legal support include housing, human rights complaints, mental health law, accessing government benefits, work related issues, sexual harassment in the workplace (there are criteria to meet for each section)
Housing
- You have lost your case at the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) and have been ordered to leave your home
- You won your RTB case and your landlord is asking the BC Supreme Court to review the RTB’s decision.
- Your home is being foreclosed upon
- Your membership in a co-op is being terminated
The BC Human Rights Clinic:
- Short Service Clinic: The Clinic runs every Monday (except holidays) and offers a 30 minute appointment with a lawyer or legal advocate.
- Legal Services: Legal services offered include summary advice, 1-2 hours of legal assistance and legal representation.
- Call 604-622-1100 or email at infobchrc@clasbc.net or fill out the online intake form https://judicialreviewbc.ca/askaquestion/
Mental Health Law:
- Community Legal Assistance Society can help you with a mental health law situation if any of the following apply to you:
- You have applied for a Review Board hearing (often called “Review Panels”) under the Mental Health Act,
- You have an upcoming Criminal Code Review Board hearing
- You already have a decision from the Review Panel or Review Board
- The Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) won’t let you make your own decisions. For example, control of your own money.
Work-Related Issues:
- If you have a decision from the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT)
- If you have a decision from the Social Security Tribunal (Old Age Security, Employment Insurance or Canada Pension Plan)
- If you have a decision from the Employment Standards Tribunal
Sexual Assault:
- We can help you if you have experienced sexual assault in BC. We can provide up to 3 hours of legal advice to help you understand your legal options. Call 604-673-3143 or email standinformed@clasbc.net or complete the online form here: https://clasbc.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Stand-Informed-Intake-Form.pdf
Disability Law Clinic https://disabilityalliancebc.org/program/disability-law-clinic/
To access the Disability Law Clinic and go through the intake process call 236-427-1108 or email lawclinic@disabilityalliancebc.org
The Disability Law Clinic provides Summary Advice and Referral Service which is a free, confidential legal service, directly to persons with disabilities from across BC, on certain disability-related areas of law, including:
- Accessibility laws: The DLC can offer summary legal advice and legal information about the Accessible BC Act and the Accessible Canada Act as applicable.
- Discrimination/human rights: If you have been discriminated against because of your disability in certain contexts, we may be able to give you legal advice on your rights.
- Access to Services: The DLC can provide legal advice on your rights if you have been denied access to a service because of your disability.
- Accommodation in the workplace: If you are an employee with a disability and you need accommodations at work, the DLC can give you legal advice on your rights. The DLC also offers summary advice if you believe you have been fired or let go for a reason related to your disability.
- Post-secondary education: If you are a student with a disability in a post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, and you require accommodations at school, the DLC can advise you on your right to be accommodated.
- Transportation: The DLC offers summary advice on transportation-related legal issues which includes municipal, provincial, and federally regulated transportation. This includes city buses, accessible transportation, trains, and airplanes.
- Decision-making rights: Decision-making rights include your right to make your own decisions on important aspects of your life. The DLC can provide you with legal advice on your rights.
- Removing committeeship: If you are under court-ordered committeeship or someone is acting as your representative under a representation agreement or power of attorney, the representative may be making decisions on your behalf for things such as your finances and personal/health care. If you need to remove or change your representative or committee, the DLC can advise you on your legal options.
- Public Guardian and Trustee: If the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) is controlling your finances, the DLC may be able to give you legal advice if you want to know how to regain control of your own finances from the PGT and make your own decisions, or if you believe the PGT is mismanaging your finances.
- Long-term disability insurance: If you applied for long-term disability insurance benefits and your application was denied, or if the insurance company tells you they may stop your benefits, the DLC can advise you on your legal options.
| Email Address |
|---|
| justice@mnbc.ca |
| Mailing Address |
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| #380-13401 108 Ave, Surrey, BC, V3T 5T3 |
| Office Hours |
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| Monday to Friday |
| 8:30 am to 4:30 pm PST |