Family Justice Centres
Last updated on August 20, 2024On this page
About Family Justice Centres
Family Justice Centres operate across the province with staff available to assist you with issues related to separation or divorce, including:
- Parenting arrangements
- Guardianship
- Child and spousal support
- Contact with a child
- Property division respecting a companion animal
All services are provided free of charge to parents and other family members. Learn more about Family Justice Centre services or see the Family Justice Centres brochure for more information.
Staff can help you assess what you need and provide information about:
- Your legal and related issues (including referrals for legal advice)
- Dispute resolution and mediation options (including court forms and processes)
- Referrals to community resources and agencies
All Centres have Family Justice Counsellors (accredited mediators) who can provide a full range of services virtually through telephone and video conferencing, so services are available even if there is no Family Justice Centre or Justice Access Centre in your community. Virtual services are also available for families who are separated by distance.
To find the location nearest you, see the list of Family Justice Centre locations. You can also call Service BC toll free between 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, and ask the operator to transfer you. If there is no location near you, call 1-844-747-3963 to access Family Justice Centre services.
Family justice links
Legal help and resources
- Visit Clicklaw and Family Law in BC for legal information
- Contact the Lawyer Referral Service to consult a lawyer for up to 15 minutes for free
- See MyLawBC for solutions to your legal problems
- Resources from Legal Aid BC:
Child support information
- Visit the Government of Canada's child support table look-up to find the base amount of child support.
- Enroll your maintenance order or agreement with the BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA).
- See if the Child Support Recalculation Service could help you annually recalculate child support without having to go to court.
Online divorce assistant
Joint divorce means making an application for a divorce together with your spouse. It means that you and your spouse agree about getting a divorce and that you agree about all of the family law issues relevant to your situation, such as spousal support, and the division of family property and debts.
International child abduction
British Columbia has a central authority that assists left-behind parents whose children have been abducted across international borders. For more information, including contact information, please see International Child Abduction.