Child Support & Spousal Support
Family Justice Centres
Family Justice Counsellors can mediate issues involving parenting arrangements, contact, child support and spousal support. Family Justice Counsellors don’t provide legal advice. They will refer you to legal services if you need them. Family Justice Counsellors can also make referrals to other sources of help. Vancouver: 604-660-2421, Victoria: 250-387-6121, BC: 1-800-663-7867.
Mediate BCMediators on the family roster mediate a variety of family-related matters, which include reorganization of the family after separation or divorce, parenting, financial support and property matters, family business, family property or finances, family inheritance and estates, responsibility for care of elderly parents, adoption, pre-nuptial issues, and intra-family conflicts. Family Mediation Services Vancouver: 604-684-1300 | Toll-Free: 1-855-660-8406.
Department of Justice Canada
Information about Canada's child and spousal support laws and guidelines. Includes answers to frequently asked questions and help to calculate support payments. The website includes a range of information on child support, including the Child Support Table Look-Up, information on Child Support Agreements as well as spousal support, including the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines. Call: 1-888-373-2222.
Child Support Services
Child Support Officers help parents to learn more about child support and obtaining or changing a child support order or agreement. Child support officers are currently available at the Family Justice Centres in Vancouver, Kelowna, Surrey, and Nanaimo. To contact a child support officer, call Service BC: Vancouver: 604-660-2421 Victoria: 250-387-6121, BC: 1-800-663-7867.
Child Care Resource and Referral Program
Child Care Resource and Referral is a BC Government funded program to connect children and parents with quality child care options in British Columbia. The program also supports families through parenting information, workshops, resource lending libraries and community referrals regarding children and families. In-person services are available. Abbotsford: 604-850-7934, Delta, Surrey, White Rock: 604-572-8032, Langley: 604-534-7921, Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows: 604-467-2273, North Shore: 604-985-7138, Richmond: 604-279-7025, Vancouver: 604-325-5213.
MySupportCalculator.ca
Provides calculators to determine child support and spousal support payments
Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEO)
FMEP monitors and enforces maintenance orders and agreements (for either child support or spousal support). Many maintenance payments are paid on time and in full, but some people like having a third party (FMEP) involved to track the payments. Vancouver: (604)-775-0796, Victoria: (250)-356-5995, BC: 1-800-668-3637.
Interjurisdictional Support Orders
A Ministry of Justice website containing information and forms/instructions to get or change support orders when either the recipient or the payor lives outside BC — does not apply to orders made under the Divorce Act.
Family Law Forms
Provincial Court Family Forms
Supreme Court Family Forms
Change of Marital Status
Use this form to tell the Canada Revenue Agency of a change in your marital status. In some situations, you may be eligible for additional Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) and/or goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit payments retroactive to the date of your separation.
Canada Child Benefits Application
Complete this form to apply for all child benefit programs.
Child Care Expense Deduction
Use this information to help you complete Form T778 Child Care Expense Deduction. You may be able to claim child care expenses you incurred while the eligible child was living with you.
Legal Help
Lawyer Referral Service
This service will help you find a lawyer who will meet with you for 30 minutes for $25. Call 604.687.3221 in the lower mainland and 1-800-663-1919 elsewhere in BC or learn more on the website.
Family Duty Counsel
Family counsel is a lawyer at the courthouse are lawyers paid by the Legal Services Society (Legal Aid) for up to three hours of free advice to help with family law issues. They can give you quick and free legal advice about your legal rights, obligations, and court procedures. They can review and help you prepare court documents.
Justice Access Centres
The justice access centres are the place to come when you need help with family and civil law issues that affect your everyday life, such as separation or divorce, income security, employment, housing or debt. We have the information and services you need to find solutions to your problems. There are justice access centres in Nanaimo, Vancouver and Victoria.
Access Pro Bono Society of BC
The Society promotes access to justice in BC by providing and fostering quality pro bono legal services. Volunteer lawyers provide free legal assistance for those who cannot afford legal services. Lawyers do not represent clients in court but do give legal advice and help clients prepare for court appearances. In Vancouver call 604.878.7400, call toll free 1.877.762.6664.
Family Advice Lawyer Project
This service is available in family justice counsellors’ offices in Kelowna and Vancouver, at the Justice Access Centre in Nanaimo, and in Port Alberni. You must be referred to a family advice lawyer by a family justice counsellor or a child support officer. For more information about this service, call Enquiry BC and ask to be connected to a family justice counsellor's office. Enquiry BC: Vancouver: 604-660-2421 | Victoria: 250-387-6121 (from Victoria) | BC: 1-800-663-7867
LawLINE: 604-408-2172 press “7”
If you are a person with low income experiencing a family law issue, you may be eligible for free legal advice over the telephone from a family lawyer. Family LawLINE lawyers give brief "next step" advice about family law issues. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays — 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Wednesdays — 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Financial Information
Canada Pension Plan (Service Canada) : 1 800 277-9914
Canada Debt Advice : 604-637-5760
Credit Counselling Society : 604-527-8999 | 1-888-527-8999
Canadian Credit Counsellors Society:604-435-7800 | 1-800-565-4595
Consumer Credit Counselling:604-435-7800 | 1-800-565-4595
Solutions Credit Counselling Service: 604-588-9491 | 1-877-588-9491
Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy: 604-666-5007
Canada Child Tax Benefit:1-800-387-1193
BC Family Bonus: 1-800-387-1193
Universal Child Care Benefit:1-800-959-2221
Child Fitness Tax Credit
Children as Eligible Dependents
Child Care Expense Credit
Support Payments
Child Care Subsidy
Handles enquiries and registration for the child care subsidy program, a monthly payment that helps families in BC, to meet the costs of child care dependent on income and family size. The subsidy can be used to help pay for eligible licensed and unlicensed care. Application form. Call 250-356-6501 |1-888-338-6622.
Online Resources
Family Law in BC
This website provides the broadest range of information on family law issues. There are number of publications, self-help materials, family law forms, and videos to help you learn more about your family law issue.
BC Family Justice Services
The Ministry of Justice provides a range of information to support families through separation and divorce.
Families Change
This online gateway provides age-appropriate guides to separation and divorce for kids, teens and parents. Helps children and parents to deal with the emotional changes caused by a family break up. The website includes a computer game for kids and the online course: Parenting After Separation.
JP Boyd on Family Law
A comprehensive survey of family law, divorce law, and the court process in BC.
Child Support in BC
An informative booklet that explains the basic of child support and where to get help.
Dial-a-Law
The BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association publishes a number of helpful legal scripts that have been prepared by lawyers. Users can read the scripts online, or listen to them on the phone. Many scripts are available in Punjabi and Chinese. Vancouver: 604-687-4680 BC: Lower 1-800-565-5297.
Provincial Court of British Columbia
The provincial court shares authority with the Supreme Court in matters relating to family maintenance and child custody, guardianship, and access. Child protection cases must be heard in provincial court. This court’s processes are simpler and more affordable than Supreme Court.
Supreme Court of British Columbia
The Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction to handle divorce, adoption and property division. Issues that relate to family maintenance and child custody, guardianship, and access can be heard in either Supreme or Provincial Court.
Self Counsel Press
Family law publications are available online and at major book stores and other retailers. Topics include: Divorce Guide for Canada, BC Divorce Kit (Joint), BC Divorce Kit (Sole), Separation Agreement, Family Court Guide for British Columbia, etc.
Public Guardian and Trustee of BC
The PGT is legislated to protect the legal and financial rights of children and youth under the age of 19 – as well as adults who require assistance. The PGT works in these areas: Settlement Submissions (Infant Act), Trust Services, Property Guardian Services, Protective Services. Visit the website to learn more.
