Is There Free Legal Advice for Family Law in BC?

If you cannot afford a lawyer, you can still get useful help with a family problem. The difficulty is knowing which free service does what, and where it stops.

Below are the main free sources in British Columbia, what each can and cannot do, and how to combine them.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

Family Justice Centres

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

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

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

There are limits. Lawyer advice at a Family Justice Centre depends on your situation, and staff otherwise refer you elsewhere. The Online Divorce Assistant only works where both spouses agree on all issues. Some referred services are based on financial need, so you may be asked about income.

Mediation and family justice counsellors

Family Justice Counsellors are accredited mediators who provide mediation, and child support disputes can use facilitated negotiation with a child support officer. They can also give information about a family law dispute, family dispute resolution on guardianship, parenting arrangements, contact with a child and child and spousal support, and referrals.

Mediation is not legal advice. At Justice Access Centres, a trained mediator helps you discuss issues in a neutral, informal setting without giving legal advice. If mediation is not suitable, staff help with next steps or referrals.

Family dispute resolution professionals must assess whether family violence may be present and consider how it may affect a party's safety and ability to negotiate a fair agreement. Tell them about any safety concerns.

Family Law Centres for family violence survivors

Family Law Centres are law clinics delivered by Legal Aid BC offering free legal help to family violence survivors who cannot afford a lawyer. You must be experiencing family violence and have at least one additional eligible legal issue. Offices are in Surrey and Victoria, with virtual services in many communities.

Family Law Centres prioritize survivors who have fled an abusive partner within the past six months. Common issues include protection orders, denial of parenting time, child support, spousal support, property division and divorce. Parenting arrangements, meaning getting an initial parenting order or changing one, became an eligible issue as of June 22, 2026.

In-person offices are in Surrey and Victoria, and Kamloops and Prince George offices were expected to open in late summer 2026, so it is worth confirming whether they are open. Virtual services are available in Surrey, Abbotsford, New Westminster, Victoria, Colwood, Duncan, Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Vanderhoof and Mackenzie.

Under the Family Law Act, a court may make a protection order on application by a family member claiming to be at risk, by a person on that member's behalf, or on its own initiative. The test is that family violence is likely to occur and the other person is an at-risk family member. Unless the court orders otherwise, a protection order expires one year after the date it is made.

Paying for the rest

Free services may not cover everything. Some options reduce cost rather than remove it. Unbundling means a lawyer provides services for part of your matter, with you and the lawyer deciding which tasks each will do.

The Law Society of BC developed a Family Unbundled Legal Services toolkit with Mediate BC, including sample retainer agreements, available through Courthouse Libraries BC.

In some cases the Supreme Court may order an interim distribution of family property to fund family dispute resolution or part of a proceeding, but only from property at issue in a property division, and only if it would not harm the other spouse's interests. Part 10 of the Family Law Act has no general costs provision.

What to do next

• Call a Family Justice Centre for a needs assessment and referrals.
• Ask whether lawyer advice is available for your situation.
• Check whether an Early Resolution Registry step applies if you are in the Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Fraser, Vancouver Island or Interior regions.
• Ask local services about duty counsel and advice lines, since hours and locations vary.
• Book time with a lawyer for the parts of your case that are high stakes.

Frequently asked questions