2019 Bi-Monthly Update Series: March/April

To keep you informed, here are some highlights of changes and updates made to Clicklaw in March and April:

Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec


Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries Solution Explorer
by Civil Resolutions Tribunal

On April 1, 2019, the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) started resolving many motor vehicle injury (MVI) personal injury disputes in British Columbia. This includes determinations of whether an injury is a “minor injury”, disputes about accident benefits, and disputes about damages and fault up to $50,000. The Solution Explorer is the first step in the online CRT process, with free legal information and tools.

Ordering a Court Transcript
by The National Self-Represented Litigants Project

This guide outlines the steps that are required to order court transcripts in each province/territory. It is a compilation of information obtained from court websites, telephone & email conversations with court services/transcript services at different courthouses, and from legal professionals.

Disability Alliance BC

The following help sheets have been updated:

Disability Alliance BC logo

Legal Services Society

Legal Services Society logo

Mediate BC

Mediate BC has launched a new website, providing an easy way to learn everything you need to know about mediation, and help you find the right mediator. The updated listings on Clicklaw include:

People’s Law School

People's Law School logo
  • Being an Executor – this updated booklet is for people who have been asked to be an executor in a will.
  • Power of Attorney – this updated booklet tells you how a power of attorney can be used to give someone the legal power to take care of financial and legal matters for you.
  • Preparing Your Will – this updated publication explains how to prepare a will, what to consider when appointing an executor, and next steps after the will is finished.
  • Essentials of Work & the Law (formerly Working in BC) – this updated booklet offers information about your rights & responsibilities as a worker.
  • Unbundled Legal Services – this new website helps the public understand “unbundling”, a new service model for law in British Columbia.

Rise Women’s Virtual Legal Clinic (VLC)
from Rise Women’s Legal Centre

Provides free and low-cost legal services to self-identified women who live outside of the geographic zone from Whistler to Chilliwack (inclusive). The clinic offers a range of services, including information and summary advice, document drafting, and legal coaching for self-represented litigants.

Drop-in Legal Clinic at Ray-Cam Community Centre
from Society for Children and Youth of BC

This new drop-in legal clinic provides legal help for young people who are experiencing problems relating to family law, child protection, a breach of your human rights and many other legal issues.

North Shore Pro Bono

  • Dispute Resolution Education – education and coaching workshops regarding separation, divorce, parenting arrangements, support and division of property and debt.
  • Pro Bono Estate Planning – estate planning assistance for low-income individuals who want to ensure that they have a valid will and all documents (incl. Power of Attorney & Representation Agreement) in place to handle their financial & personal matters should they not be able to.
  • Pro Bono Family Mediation – family mediation for low income individuals with concerns in the areas of property division, support and custody.

Project Inclusion: Confronting Anti-Homeless and Anti-Substance User Stigma in British Columbia
by Pivot Legal Society

Project Inclusion is a comprehensive study into the ways in which specific laws and policies in policing, health care, and the court system directly undermine the health and safety of people who are homeless and living with substance use issues by trapping them in a cycle of criminalization.

Red Women Rising: Indigenous Women Survivors in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
by Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre

This comprehensive report is based on the lived experience, leadership, and expertise of Indigenous survivors. The report places Indigenous women survivors at the center, rather than as a secondary reference. It proposes 35 key recommendations and goes into more details in its 200 recommendations.

Stay informed:

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2018 Bi-Monthly Update Series: May/June

To keep you informed, here are some highlights of changes and updates made to Clicklaw in May and June:

Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec


The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBA BC)

Many Dial-A-Law scripts have been recently reviewed. For a complete list of these resources, see their listings here (sorted by “last reviewed date”). Some of them are:

Working with Your Legal Aid Lawyer
by Legal Services Society

Now available in French. This fact sheet outlines client and lawyer roles and responsibilities, so each knows what to expect from the legal aid contract.

Gender Self-Determination Project
by PACE Society

A program designed to help trans* folks get proper ID. We work one-on-one with anyone who identifies as trans, two-spirit, non-binary, or otherwise gender-diverse to apply to change their name and/or gender marker and acquire updated IDs. We are able to cover any costs that we cannot get waived by the organizations themselves.

Environmental Legal Aid
by West Coast Environmental Law

West Coast Environmental Law offers free legal advice to help community groups, First Nations and individuals understand their environmental rights. We also offer funding support through our Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF), which connects British Columbians with a network of private environmental lawyers around the province willing to work at a legal aid rate.

SFU Centre for Education, Law and Society

The following lesson ideas and educational resources for teachers and students have been reviewed or updated to reflect the new BC curriculum:

Employment Standards Act Reform Project
by British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)

BCLI has issued a consultation paper on BC’s Employment Standards Act to seek public comment on tentative recommendations for reforming the Act. Responses are requested by 31 August 2018.

Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria

Submissions on Human Trafficking to Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
by Pivot Legal Society

Consensual, adult sex work and human trafficking are distinct. Canada’s laws and policies will only be effective if they recognize the difference between these two concepts.

Cannabis in Canada
by the Government of Canada

Information on what you need to know and what the law means for you. Topics include cannabis and the border, cannabis impairment, and how the laws and regulations will impact your business.

Guidance Document – Competitive Advantage: Compliance with PIPA and the GDPR
by Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC)

Effective May 25, 2018, some organizations subject to PIPA must also comply with the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This guidance helps organizations in BC determine whether they are subject to the GDPR and explains how to comply with both PIPA and the GDPR.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

  • The Internet of Things
    An introduction to privacy issues with a focus on the retail and home environments.
  • Guidelines for Obtaining Meaningful Consent
    This document sets out practical & actionable guidance regarding what organizations should do to ensure that they obtain meaningful consent. It contains information about the guiding principles for obtaining consent, determining the appropriate form of consent, and the legal requirements.

New & Updated Common Questions

Common Questions help narrow down the resources people should start with. Do you get asked the same questions over and over again by your clients? Send your suggestions to editor[@]clicklaw.bc.ca

Stay informed:

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