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Family Justice Centre services

Last updated on June 18, 2024

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Family Justice Centre services

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.

Other government and community services

At the Family Justice Centres, we can tell you about key community and government agencies for issues such as mental health, alcohol and drug use, income security, debt or housing. These services are located right in your community and sometimes their staff even work at our centre. We can contact them for you if you wish and book appointments as needed.

If you have immediate safety concerns, staff may refer you to a community support organization, VictimLinkBC or the police. (If necessary, staff may give you information about how to get into court quickly, and refer you to legal advice.)

If you need help resolving a dispute about child support, staff can refer you to a Family Justice Counsellor or the child support officer at the centre.

If you're not receiving the child support your child is entitled to receive, staff may refer you to the BC Family Maintenance Agency (BCFMA).

Help with parenting and child support arrangements

Family Justice Centres offer dispute resolution services (mediation with a family justice counsellor or facilitated negotiation with a child support officer). If dispute resolution services at the Family Justice Centre are not appropriate for your situation, staff will do their best to either help you with the next step or refer you to others who can help you.

Legal Help

Depending on your situation, you may be eligible to receive advice from a lawyer at the centre. If not, staff can refer you to other lawyers or to organizations that can give you advice, sometimes for free.

Staff can also give you information about getting help from a legal aid lawyer (if you qualify), community agency, pro bono clinic where lawyers provide free services, or private lawyer.

How much will it cost?

Services provided by Family Justice Centre staff are free. You may be asked about your income, because staff may refer you to services that are based on financial need.

Your privacy

The personal information you provide is confidential. Your basic identifying information and a record of the services you receive may be accessed by staff at the centre as needed. The Freedom of Information and Privacy Act applies to all information you may share with staff.

More resources

Legal help and resources

Child support information

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.

Apply for a joint divorce

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.