Category: New on Clicklaw

We share with you a monthly roundup of changes to Clicklaw’s collection. Here is a summary of updates done in March 2021.

Solve Problems

Legal Aid BC 

• Family law in BC (updated)
  Updated to reflect the changes to the Divorce Act, this site has information and self-help guides on family law in BC. Topics covered include abuse, adoption, child protection/removal, common-law relationships, custody & access, divorce & separation, child support, and spousal support.

• How to Become a Child’s Guardian (updated)
  French language added. This fact sheet explains how to apply to court to become a child’s guardian. It includes links to step-by-step guides on the Family Law in BC website about how to apply and links to additional required forms.

• Living Together or Living Apart: Common-Law Relationships, Marriage, Separation, and Divorce
  With the changes to the Divorce Act in effect, all languages except English are removed. The revised edition will be available May 2021. This resource explains the basics of BC family law: marriage/marriage-like relationships, separation, divorce, agreements, parenting, child/spousal support, property/debt, and where to get help.

• MyLawBC (updated)
  Updated to reflect the changes to the Divorce Act, this site provides help for common legal problems that’s specific to each user’s situation. Topics covered in MyLawBC include separation & divorce, getting family court orders, and responding to family court orders; abuse & family violence; foreclosure; and wills and personal planning.

Supreme Court of BC 

• Supreme Court Family Picklist (updated)
  The Supreme Court has developed a “Family Order Pick List” which sets out standard terms for most of the usual orders made in family cases. This updated picklist reflects the changes to the Divorce Act. The picklist provides the Supreme Court clerks the ability to electronically populate orders after chambers applications or a judicial case conference.

Stay informed:

We share with you a monthly roundup of changes to Clicklaw’s collection. Here is a summary of updates done in February 2021.

Solve Problems

COVID-19 Resources

We’ve added more online resources from trusted organizations about issues related to COVID-19. Here’s the Clicklaw link to online resources dealing with the issues.

Amici Curiae Friendship Society

• Starting a Family Action in the Provincial Court (new)
  This five-minute video gives you an overview of starting a family action in the Provincial Court of BC. Includes what their Legal Form Workshops can do to help you with your legal forms.

Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) 

• Your Human Rights as a Tenant (new)
  This short video (3:34 minutes) explains how the BC Human Rights Code protects you from discrimination in your tenancy.

Department of Justice Canada

• Changes to Family Laws (Information for Families) (newly added)
  This website has information on changes to Canada’s family laws. Includes an overview and more details on family violence, moving after separation or divorce, parenting arrangements, a child’s views & preferences, family dispute resolution, and duties for parents & others.
• The Divorce Act Changes Explained (newly added)
  This technical guide provides information about changes to the Divorce Act through legislation Parliament passed in 2019. Each entry details the amendment to the legislation, explains the change, and provides the reason for it.

Law Society of BC

• Guidelines for Calculating BC Limitation Periods (newly added)
  This document was developed by the Lawyers Indemnity Fund of the Law Society of BC, in consultation with the BC Ministry of Attorney General. It gives you a table of limitation period scenarios for BC claims paired with the effect of suspension of limitation periods and examples.

People’s Law School

• Changes to the Divorce Act (new)
  On March 1, 2021, the federal Divorce Act is changing. As of that date, if you’re in the process of getting a divorce, or are thinking about getting divorced, the new rules will apply to you. Learn about some of the important changes coming to Canada’s divorce law.

Public Guardian and Trustee of BC

• Informed Consent and the COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs (new)
  With the provincial COVID-19 immunization strategy currently underway, health care providers are obtaining informed consent prior to administering the vaccine. The Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) may provide consent on behalf of adults who are not capable of providing consent themselves.

Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (new website)

• WCAT Appeal Process (updated)
  This page links you to information about the Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) processs. There is information about Starting an Appeal, Responding to an Appeal, Preparing an Appeal, Status of an Appeal, and After an Appeal.
• WCAT Forms (updated)
  This page links to you to the Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) forms. It also links you to help with information, and to the publication, Starting an Appeal.
• WCAT Manual of Rules of Practice and Procedure (MRPP) (updated)
  This page links you to the guides developed by Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT) for the steps in the appeal process. Some guides are available in Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Punjabi.

New Common Questions

• How are BC Courts dealing with COVID-19? 
• How will the changes to the Divorce Act affect me? 
• What benefits and financial help are available during the COVID-19 pandemic? 

Stay informed: