Where to Get Free Family Law Advice in British Columbia

If you are separating or dealing with a family dispute and cannot afford a lawyer, you are not left with nothing. British Columbia has several free services that give information, mediation, referrals and, in some situations, legal help.

This article walks through the main options, what each one covers and how to reach them. Which service fits depends on your safety, your finances and what you need to resolve, so treat this as a map rather than a final answer.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

Family Justice Centres: the usual first stop

Family Justice Centres offer free services to parents and other family members dealing with separation or divorce. They can help with parenting arrangements, guardianship, child and spousal support, contact with a child, and property division for a companion animal.

You can call toll-free at 1-844-747-3963, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Services are also available by telephone and video conference for families separated by distance.

• A needs assessment, legal information and referrals for advice.
• Referrals to community agencies and safety referrals, such as VictimLinkBC or police.
• A referral to the BC Family Maintenance Agency if child support is not being received.
• A free Parenting After Separation course and information on Provincial Court processes.
• The Online Divorce Assistant for joint uncontested divorces.

Family Justice Counsellors are accredited mediators who provide mediation. Child support disputes can use facilitated negotiation with a child support officer.

If family violence is part of your situation

Family Law Centres are law clinics funded by the Province and delivered by Legal Aid BC. They give free, trauma-informed legal help to family violence survivors who cannot afford a lawyer.

To be eligible, you must be experiencing family violence and have at least one additional eligible legal issue. Parenting arrangements, meaning getting an initial parenting order or changing one, became an eligible issue on June 22, 2026. Priority goes to survivors who have fled an abusive partner within the past six months. That is a priority, not a general waiver of the eligibility rules.

Common issues include protection orders, denial of parenting time, child support, spousal support, property division and divorce. In-person offices are in Surrey and Victoria, with Kamloops and Prince George offices expected to open in late summer 2026. Virtual services are offered in Surrey, Abbotsford, New Westminster, Victoria, Colwood, Duncan, Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Vanderhoof and Mackenzie. Confirm which offices are open before you travel.

If you are in immediate danger, contact police. A Family Justice Centre can also point you to safety referrals.

Justice Access Centres and how the options compare

Justice Access Centres also offer free family justice services. Their mediation is a neutral, informal setting where a trained mediator helps you discuss issues without giving legal advice. You may be referred to a private mediator if a counsellor is not trained to mediate your problem.

Limits to keep in mind

• Some referred services are based on financial need, so you may be asked about income.
• Lawyer advice at a Family Justice Centre depends on your situation, and staff otherwise refer you elsewhere.
• Mediation is not always suitable. If it is not, staff help with next steps or referrals.
• The Online Divorce Assistant only works where both spouses agree on all issues.
• Early Resolution Registries in the Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Fraser, Vancouver Island and Interior regions require specific steps before a Provincial Court family case proceeds.

Legal Aid BC income limits are updated periodically, so check the current limits rather than relying on older charts. Do not assume that family violence removes the income test.

What to do next

• Decide whether safety is a concern. If it is, ask about a Family Law Centre and safety referrals first.
• Call a Family Justice Centre during business hours and ask for a needs assessment.
• Write down your key dates, children's names and ages, and what you need decided.
• Ask whether any service you are referred to has an income test.
• Consider a paid lawyer for a single task if you need advice that free services cannot give.

Frequently asked questions