Announcements

Attorney General David Eby reflects on B.C.’s crippled court system and the collapse of access to justice across the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and finds a reason to hope

This Annual Report provides information about the volume of proceedings before the Court in 2019, as well as changes to governance and the judicial complement. In the descriptions that follow, proceedings before the Court are broken down into three subject matter areas: civil, family, and criminal proceedings.

“In a free and democratic society, the tradition of judicial independence makes it possible to literally hold space for this work to take place — even in periods of significant change." Chief Justice Robert Bauman

The Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) thanks its customers for their questions and feedback over the past few weeks as everyone has adapted their business to comply with the Province’s physical distancing measures. As essential service providers, we are all connected in our efforts to maintain the continuous functioning of BC’s real property market during these extraordinary times.

Access Pro Bono is working to increase the number and capacity of its telephone clinics to meet the many critical legal needs emerging from the pandemic. To do this, it needs more volunteer lawyers. Can you help?

As the first known outbreak of COVID-19 in a Canadian prison was announced on Monday, the country’s biggest lawyers’ group called on the federal government to identify inmates who can be safely managed in the community and release them.

In order to protect the health and safety of court users, court staff and others and to help limit the spread of COVID-19, the following new procedures are being implemented for court proceedings where there counsel, parties, media and the public are attending in person:

Limitation periods to commence court proceedings in British Columbia have been suspended, and statutory decision-makers have been provided discretion to waive, suspend or extend time periods related to their powers.

In response to our customers’ feedback, and further to the guidance provided on March 24, 2020, the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia (LTSA) has updated the list of supporting documents for which a true copy may be used in place of the original document.

The BC Provincial Government has confirmed that lawyers and paralegals are considered an essential service. Essential services are those daily services essential to preserving life, health, public safety and basic societal functioning.