Legal Services

Find organizations that provide legal help in BC. Most services are free or low cost.

Logo features a curved design in rainbow colours, including pink, blue, brown, and black, and the organization name, with a red maple leaf after the name.

Inland Program

Rainbow Refugee
This service supports people already in BC who have fled persecution in their country of origin based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status. It focuses on their right to claim asylum, protection and eligibility, providing essential services, access to justice, and getting legal identity documentation.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo features a stylized drawing of a brown flower with red petals, with its stem forming an underline for the letters PACE to the right of the flower.

Gender Self-Determination Project

PACE Society
This project is open to all trans, two-spirit, and non-binary persons to help with legally changing their names and gender markers on government identification.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo features the initials "JES" in green on the left and a grey scale of justice with the text "Justice Education Society" in a circular arrangement around it on the right.

Ask JES

Justice Education Society (JES)
Free information and referrals to help you deal with your legal issues. Questions are answered by UBC law students on weekdays from 11 am to 2 pm. Questions outside these hours will receive a response the next business day. Ask JES is supported by a knowledge base of over 1,000 legally reviewed questions and answers.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo of the Better Business Bureau featuring a stylized blue torch above the letters "BBB" in bold blue text.

Dispute resolution for consumers

Better Business Bureau
Helps you file a complaint against a business and get a resolution to your problem. You can post reviews about your experience with a business. The BBB will help you report scams, imposters, frauds, or schemes, as well as file complaints about warranty disputes for a vehicle.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo with the words "British Columbia" and a sun rising behind mountains.

VictimLinkBC

Government of British Columbia
Provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence, including victims of human trafficking exploited for labour or sexual services. It’s a toll-free, confidential, multilingual service available across BC and the Yukon 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo featuring a stylized totem animal head in Pacific coast Indigenous art style, coloured red. Below are the words “NATIVE COURTWORKER” in large red letters. Below these are the words “AND COUNSELLING ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA” in small black letters.

Indigenous Victim Services

Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia
This program provides culturally safe, trauma-informed support and counselling to Indigenous survivors of sexual assault through a community-based referral system. It serves Indigenous individuals (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), LGBTQ2S community members, and their families.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo featuring a stylized totem animal head in Pacific coast Indigenous art style, coloured red. Below are the words “NATIVE COURTWORKER” in large red letters. Below these are the words “AND COUNSELLING ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA” in small black letters.

Native Courtworker Program

Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia
This program helps Indigenous accused understand the criminal justice process from its outset, ensuring they receive fair, just, equitable, and culturally sensitive treatment before the courts. The service provides appropriate referrals, liaises between Indigenous accused and criminal justice personnel, and more.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo features the text "COURTHOUSE" in brown capital letters on the top line and "LIBRARIES | BC" in blue capital letters on the bottom line. Above the text, there is an abstract design of an open book in blue and grey.

Library services

Courthouse Libraries BC
Provides legal information services to the public via a network of libraries in BC courthouses. Visit our website & learn how the libraries provide access to staff expertise, print and digital legal collections, and public computers. You’re encouraged to call or email before visiting as they can provide many services this way & can save you time.
Last reviewed July 2024
Logo features a green and blue geometric shape on the left and the text "Office of the Seniors Advocate British Columbia" to the right, with "Seniors Advocate" highlighted in green and blue.

Office of the Seniors Advocate BC

Office of the Seniors Advocate BC
The office’s information and referral specialists can help you find programs and services for seniors.
Last reviewed March 2024