Author: Clicklaw Editor

Clicklaw Monthly Roundup: May 2020

New on Clicklaw

We share with you a monthly roundup of changes to Clicklaw’s collection. Here is a summary of updates done in May 2020. For resources specific to pandemic responses, go to Covid-19 Resources for British Columbians (bit.ly/covid19bc).

Solve Problems

COVID-19 Pandemic Response: Civil Liberties & Human Rights for All
by British Columbia Civil Liberties Association

  • What is an Emergency Order? (new)
    What is an emergency order and what powers does it give governments? Learn about your rights and civil liberties in a pandemic.
  • Enforcement of Public Health Orders in B.C. during COVID-19 Pandemic (new)
    Are police and bylaw officers allowed to enforce provincial public health orders? Learn about public health order enforcement power in BC and your rights in a pandemic.
  • COVID-19 and Tenant Privacy Rights (new)
    The law gives tenants control over whether to share their medical information, including a COVID-19 diagnosis, with their landlords, and whether the landlord may share it with others. Learn about your privacy rights as a tenant in a pandemic.

Help Sheet #17: COVID-19 Supports and Resources (new)
by Disability Alliance BC

To help mitigate the financial challenges posed by COVID-19, the federal and BC governments have introduced several new emergency supports and programs. An overview of these emergency measures is available in our new information Help Sheet, HS #17: COVID-19 Supports and Programs.

Coronavirus: how COVID-19 is affecting the legal system
by Legal Aid Society

New online resources covering a wide range of topics:

  • Legal aid and other access to justice services
  • Q&A on each level of Courts, parenting, support, mortgage & rent, family violence, immigration, welfare & benefits
  • A video on applying for a protection order
  • Aboriginal peoples

Reform & Research

BC Gender Equality Report Card 2019/2020 (new)
by West Coast LEAF

This Report Card assesses the BC government’s progress on human rights and gender equality between December 2018 and early April 2020. It explores access to justice; economic security; gender-based violence; health; justice for people who are criminalized; and rights of parents, children, and youth.

HelpMap

Great news! The HelpMap listings (200+) are now mostly up to date with the latest info on accessing the services during COVID-19 restrictions. Check it out: https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap.

Disability Law Clinic (new)
by Disability Alliance BC

Free legal advice to people with disabilities about human rights and discrimination, including:

  • Accommodations related to the COVID-19 virus and social distancing
  • Accommodation in the workplace
  • Access to transportation o Access to education
  • Housing
  • Service animals

Stay informed:

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Blog post banner for Mediate BC's Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service

Legal Help from Home: Mediate BC’s Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service

Community posts

Legal Help from Home is a Clicklaw Blog series highlighting free or low-cost resources available during COVID-19.

Public health directives associated with the response to the pandemic have changed accessibility to various services, creating what can be a confusing landscape for anyone needing access to legal resources. To ease confusion and highlight resources available and how to access them, Clicklaw has put together the Covid-19 Resources for British Columbians wikibook and will be featuring legal help and tools in this and other Clicklaw Blog posts. The resources featured in this series provide help beyond finding legal info and are accessible from home or remotely.

Remote resolution: navigating conflict during COVID-19

Mediate BC has launched a Quarantine Conflict Resolution Service that uses distance mediation to resolve conflicts arising from COVID-19, isolation and quarantine. Roster Mediators from around the province have stepped forward to provide reduced-cost mediation services at a distance.

Mediation costs will be determined by client income to support British Columbians during the pandemic.

What kinds of conflict qualify for this service? 

This service is offered to residents of British Columbia who are in conflict connected to COVID-19 including: 

  • Neighbours
  • Business Reopening/Workplace/Employees
  • Family issues: co-parenting, elder and parent-teen conflicts
  • Housing/Roommate Conflicts

Mediate BC has partnered with Landlord BC to address housing and landlord/tenant disputes specifically.

Not-for-profit societies and business parties may also be eligible for low-bono mediation services, as assessed on a case-by-case basis. 

Pre-existing conflicts do not qualify for this program. For example, a divorce would not be eligible, but if a divorcing couple needs to continue sharing a home because of COVID-19, negotiating the 6-8 week living situation would fall within the scope of this service.

How does it work?

The mediator will speak with each party individually by phone or video to gather perspectives and the background of the conflict. Then a joint session will be held on a platform that is comfortable for all the parties (Zoom, Facetime, phone, etc.). The mediator will work with all parties involved to find an accessible and comfortable platform to mediate from. No need to be tech-savvy! 

Get in contact

For more information about low-fee mediation services from Mediate BC, visit https://www.mediatebc.com/resolving-other-disputes/quarantine.

Find it on Clicklaw: https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/helpmap/service/1318

Stay informed:

To stay informed on resources available during COVID-19 restrictions, visit Covid-19 Resources for British Columbians.

Find it on Clicklaw: https://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/resource/4725 or use short URL: bit.ly/covid19bc

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