How do I get help?
There are many ways to find out more about how to proceed with your administrative law complaint, dispute, appeal or legal problem.
To start, you should learn more about the tribunal or regulatory agency that will handle your issue. Search the BC Admin Law Directory of Tribunals and Agencies to identify the right organization and learn about their dispute resolution process. Visit their website to learn more about their specific processes.
The information below describes organizations or services that may be able to help you with your administrative law matter. These services have their own specializations.
Different organizations serve different clients or focus on different areas of administrative law.
Legal Advice Services
Access Pro Bono BC
Access Pro Bono provides free legal services to those who qualify. The organization operates an extensive network of legal advice clinics throughout the province – including a Wills Clinic and Paralegal program (to help complete forms). Volunteer lawyers provide up to a half-hour of free legal advice to clients, and additional appointments may be available. Find a clinic near you.
Community Legal Assistance Society
CLAS provides free legal assistance to disadvantaged people throughout BC. CLAS provides legal services through staff lawyers and advocates in our legal programs in areas of law such as poverty, workers' compensation, employment insurance, human rights, equality law, and legal issues of persons with mental illnesses and physical and mental disabilities. These services primarily benefit people receiving social assistance, old age and/or disability pensions, and those with a low income.
UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program
LSLAP is a non-profit society run by law students at the UBC Faculty of Law. Law students provide free legal advice and representation to clients who would otherwise be unable to afford legal assistance. LSLAP legal advice clinics are located throughout the Lower Mainland.
University of Victoria Law Centre
A service of the University of Victoria Faculty of Law, the Law Centre provides legal advice, assistance and representation to residents of the Capital Regional District who cannot afford a lawyer.
CBA Lawyer Referral Service
The Canadian Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service will connect you with a lawyer who practices in the area of administrative law. The lawyer will meet with you for 30 minutes for a fee of $25.00.
Advocates and Legal Services
Community advocates help low - and modest - income individuals to find legal information, know their legal rights, argue their case in tribunal hearings, and/or lobby for political change. Advocates cannot provide legal advice or representation, but they often have a very nuanced understanding of the legal issues that confront low- and modest-income individuals, and so depending on your circumstances, their services may be of equal or greater assistance to you than those provided by a lawyer. Find an advocate near you.
BC Centre for Elder Advocacy Support
The BC Centre for Elder Advocacy Support provides services to people age 55 and over who are not able to access legal help elsewhere due to low income or other barriers. It may provide services for legal issues like: Consumer complaints, Residential Tenancy/Housing, Debt, Pensions and appeals, Assisted living/Long-term care, etc
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities
Advocates at the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities help people with disabilities to apply for and appeal denials of BC disability benefits and Medical services and supplies provided by the BC Ministry of Social Development to recipients.
BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre
The BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre provides legal representation to groups that would not otherwise have the resources to advance issues of major public concern. Check the centre’s website for information about how it selects cases to represent.
Justice Access Centres
The Justice Access Centres (JAC) in Vancouver and Nanaimo provide legal information, referrals to other services, and limited legal advice in these administrative law areas: employment, housing, income (including social benefit programs), immigration, and human rights issues.
MOSAIC
The MOSAIC Legal Advocacy Program provides immigrants and refugees with summary advice, referrals and/or representation on Immigration and citizenship, Disability benefits; Employment insurance; Employment Standards and other related issues; and Residential landlord and tenancy issues.
Multiple Sclerosis Society
The MS Society, BC Division, provides legal advice and representation to people with multiple sclerosis on a range of administrative law matters, such as disability insurance issues, employment equity, Power of Attorney and Representation Agreements, etc.
Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS)
TAPS in Victoria provides free one-on-one legal advocacy and/or representation in matters that involve disability benefits, income assistance, employment standards and residential tenancy.
West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association
The West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association is a non-profit organization that provides free legal advocacy and other services to live-in caregivers in BC. It operates a drop-in legal clinic five days a week.
Legal Information Online
Clicklaw
Clicklaw is a website that features legal information and education from more than 24 public legal education contributors. The resources available through Clicklaw were designed to be used by the public and those helping the public access legal information. Clicklaw: Solve Problems. Find Help.
Dial a Law
Dial-A-Law is a collection of 130+ legal scripts prepared by lawyers. It offers general information on a variety of administrative law topics on law in British Columbia. Dial-A-Law is a free service that is available in English, Chinese, and Punjabi by telephone and on the Internet. Dial-A-Law is accessible via by phone: call 604-687-4680 (Greater Vancouver) or toll-free 1-800-565-5297; or online: www.dialalaw.org
PovNet
The PovNet website provides information about welfare and housing laws and resources in British Columbia, as well as links to anti-poverty issues and organizations. The website also provides links to advocacy groups throughout the province.
Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre (TRAC)
TRAC has a telephone service for tenants to get information about their rights. Its website contains helpful information for tenants, including videos, tips, and the Tenant Survival Guide.
Tenant Infoline: Vancouver: 604-255-0546. Outside Lower Mainland: 1-800-665-1185