Is there free help to separate or divorce in BC?

In BC, free family law help is available from:

Ask JES: Each year, Ask JES responds to thousands of family law questions. If you have legal questions about separation, divorce or family violence, connect with Ask JES.

Legal Aid BC (opens in a new tab): Provides family duty counsel lawyers at many courthouses and family advice lawyers for issues involving children or violence for income qualified individuals through Legal Aid.

Family Justice Centres and Justice Access Centres (opens in a new tab): The BC government offers free mediation for separating couples, as well as legal information and referrals.

Family Law in BC (opens in a new tab): Is the primary family law website in BC. It provides plain language information and guides and practical tools on separation, divorce, and family violence.

Rise Women’s Legal Centre (opens in a new tab): Rise is a community legal centre providing accessible legal services to self-identified women and gender-diverse people in British Columbia since 2016. Rise’s programs and services are aimed at providing limited legal services to economically disadvantaged clients, who are self-representing in their family law matters in BC.

If you have children, you should take the Parenting After Separation course (opens in a new tab) or Parenting After Separation for Indigenous Families (opens in a new tab). This course is mandatory for BC Provincial Court cases. It provides useful information and resources to parents.