Government

Ministry of Justice

Agencies at the Justice Access Centre

The Vancouver Justice Access Centre and the organizations listed below may refer clients to participating agencies based on clients’ assessed needs for legal information, advice or advocacy.

These lists focus mainly on civil law resources. The Justice Access Centre may refer you to family law resources after you speak with a family justice counsellor. Referrals to other agencies not included in this list may also be recommended.

Service Providers Located in the Centre

  • Access Pro Bono provides quality free legal services for people and non-profit organizations of limited means. It offers civil law clinics at the Justice Access Centre on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • The Amici Curiae Pro Bono Paralegal Program is a group of volunteer paralegals who help British Columbians draft documents for civil proceedings. The program runs Tuesdays at the Vancouver Justice Access Centre from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with each paralegal meeting with one client every hour.
  • Credit Counselling Society is a registered, non-profit service that helps clients manage money better, solve debt problems and use credit responsibly. It has a counsellor available at the Justice Access Centre to provide advice to centre and Credit Counselling Society clients.
  • Family Maintenance Enforcement Program monitors and enforces support payments for enrolled parents. By registering an order or agreement with the program, an individual may avoid going to court.
  • The Legal Services Society provides legal advice and information at the Vancouver Justice Access Centre.
  • Mediate BC promotes timely and effective dispute resolution services. Mediate BC may refer Justice Access Centre clients with civil conflicts to qualified mediators.
  • Salvation Army Pro Bono operates free civil law clinics at the Justice Access Centre every Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Agencies Providing Services to Centre Clients by Referral

  • Atira: Women’s Resource Society, is a not-for-profit organization providing services to women and children who are victims of violence. Its legal advocacy program provides advice, advocacy, support and referral services to women in the Downtown Eastside with legal issues.
  • BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support (BCCEAS), a non-profit, charitable organization that works to protect the legal rights of older adults, increase access to justice for older adults, inform the public about elder abuse and provide supportive programs for older adults who have been abused.
  • The BC Coalition for People with Disabilities (BCCPD) assists people with disabilities to access income supports, medical goods, services and equipment. BCCPD produces Transition (a quarterly magazine), self-help publications and advocates’ manuals on disability programs and living with HIV/AIDS. It also provides community workshops on topics such as emergency preparedness and co-ordinates a program for residents of the George Pearson Centre.
  • Canadian Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, gives the public access to a lawyer for up to 30 minutes for a fee of $25 plus taxes.
  • CHIMO Crisis Services is a non-profit organization based in Richmond that helps people through difficult times.  It provides information and advocacy in many languages on housing, debt, income security, employment standards, family law, immigration law and civil law issues such as consumer rights. CHIMO also delivers legal education workshops to youth and newcomers and operates free legal advice clinics in partnership with Access Pro Bono and Richmond lawyers.
  • Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) helps eligible clients with legal problems relating to housing, income assistance, workers’ compensation, employment insurance benefits, consumer/debt issues, disabilities, equality rights and mental health. CLAS also has a human rights clinic, which is affiliated with the BC Human Rights Coalition.
  • Consumer Protection BC, a non-profit corporation protects consumers and encourages a fair marketplace in British Columbia.
  • Law Students’ Legal Advice Program (LSLAP) is a non-profit society run by University of British Columbia law students. Law students provide free advice and representation to clients who would otherwise be unable to afford legal assistance. LSLAP students assist clients with a range of legal issues, including residential tenancy, social assistance, criminal law and small claims matters.
  • MOSAIC is a multilingual non-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees settle and integrate into Canadian society. Its legal advocacy program  provides information, summary advice, referrals and representation to low-income immigrants and refugees.
  • Participating members of the Society of Notaries Public of BC offer free services to consumers who cannot afford the services of a notary.
  • TRAC (Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre) is a non-profit organization providing information about residential tenancy law to tenants throughout British Columbia.

Key Collaborating Agencies

  • Justice Education Society is a non-profit organization that offers justice-related educational services and resources. The society manages the self-help and information services website offered through the Justice Access Centre.
  • The People’s Law School is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that provides public legal education and information to British Columbians. The Society provides a variety of services and products that include plain language publications, legal information workshops, ethnic resources and referral services. Formats include print, online, multi-media and theatre.