Legal Resources

This guide can help you if you believe a will does not accurately represent the true intentions of the deceased.

Practical information on your options for challenging a will. Topics include what’s involved in challenging a spouse’s or parent’s will based on fairness, and challenging the validity of a will.

A booklet for people who have been appointed as executor in a will. It covers the steps involved in dealing with an estate in British Columbia after a person dies, including how to probate a will. The information is current to March 2019.

You need to apply for a grant of administration to deal with an estate if the executor does not want to, or if there was no will. The page explains when to apply, what’s involved, the fees, how long it takes, and what to do if your application is rejected. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to apply (and links to the forms).

From the manual used by law students handling cases at LSLAP’s legal clinics. Provides a breakdown of common provisions included in wills. Also covers the execution of wills, and the administration and distribution of estates.

As an executor, you’re in charge of looking after the will maker’s affairs after they pass away. Learn an executor’s duties before you agree to act as one.

A “wills notice” identifies that a will has been registered and describes the person who made the will, where it’s located, and the date of the will. This website explains how to file one, how to search for one, and when to request one.

Describes how wills and estates on reserve are different from those off reserve for status Indians who ordinarily lived on reserve at the time of their death.

Questions and answers on wills-and-estates topics. Volunteer legal professionals provide answers to questions from the public relating to wills, dealing with death, settling an estate, and personal planning.

Explains your rights, and what you’re entitled to, if your common-law spouse dies. It explains the different definitions of “spouse,” and describes what happens if your spouse left a will, or if they died without a will. It explains pension, survivor, and CPP benefits. It also explains custody and guardianship of children.