On June 16, CBABC delivered its 22nd submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of the government’s Budget 2026 consultations.
CBABC President Lee Nevens called on the government to provide funding to upgrade court technology, support Indigenous Courts, and expand the Early Resolution Process across the province.
Good afternoon Committee Members,
My name is Lee Nevens, and I go by they/them pronouns.
I am here today in my role as President of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch. We represent over 8,000 lawyers and law students from across the province. Our members practice at the forefront of our justice system, providing legal services to British Columbians in every area of law from family disputes to criminal matters, to major provincial infrastructure projects.
We work as sole practitioners, small firm lawyers, government lawyers and in-house counsel—from small communities to major firms in large cities.
And while the scope and context of our work is very broad across the province, we are united in our call for funding to modernize our courts.
British Columbians deserve a reliable justice system that delivers fair outcomes efficiently and effectively. But our courts are bogged down by delays due to poor technology and infrastructure, as well as inefficient processes.
Court backlogs in B.C. drive up legal costs for businesses and force families to wait a long time for answers to their legal problems. These expenses are even more devastating amid economic instability, while British Columbians try to keep up with the rising cost of living.
To address this, the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch recommends funding for three priorities.
FIRST) technology to improve court service delivery,
SECOND) province-wide expansion of the Provincial Court Early Resolution Process, and
THIRD) Indigenous Courts.
First, investing in technology for court service delivery.
To make the justice system easier to navigate and to reduce costly delays, we ask the government to help accelerate the implementation of the Court Digital Transformation Strategy, which is a joint effort across all levels of court in B.C. and the Attorney General to improve accessibility and convenience for British Columbians through technology. There is lots to be done and current funding and pace are frankly just not enough to keep up.
British Columbians should be able to make virtual appearances for routine hearings and easily file their court records online. What our courts need is
- an online booking system for hearing dates,
- improved hardware such as microphones, cameras, and computers,
- upgrades to BC Online, which is an online filing system that is now over 20 years old, and
- Wi-Fi availability throughout courthouses, and not just inside courtrooms.
Expanding the infrastructure for these can remove barriers to justice, especially for those living in rural and remote communities who would otherwise have to travel long distances if they can’t access the courts virtually just to file their documents or to appear before the court.
Our members have witnessed how these kinds of court delays have truly eroded public confidence in our justice system, and we think that replacing this out-of-date court filing system and scheduling processes with modern technology that speeds up the delivery of justice can help to build and restore that trust.
Our second priority that we want to highlight is the Early Resolution Process in B.C., which offers legal guidance to families dealing with matters like separation and child support before they file applications within a Provincial Court. Introduced as a pilot project in 2020, the process has helped families access early legal support, explore their options and reach agreements without resorting to continued litigation. The Process can reduce conflict and stress for those families. Plus, by reducing the number of subsequent court applications, the early resolution Process reduces delays in other parts of the court system and helps free up the courts to focus on more complex cases.
We acknowledge and appreciate that the Province has approved expansion of the Early Resolution Process to more court registries throughout the province. But the Government must now fully fund that expansion, so that more families can actually benefit and access that early support.
Third, the Provincial Courts need more funding for Indigenous Courts.
British Columbia’s nine Indigenous Courts are tailored to respond to the needs of Indigenous peoples and communities by supporting rehabilitation, reducing reoffending and repairing harm done to victims.
These sentencing courts can achieve these aims if they have funding for training on court processes, compensation for Indigenous Elders, and increased Indigenous Court sittings in populated areas.
Without these resources, it is challenging for the courts to operate in a timely manner, appropriately compensate and support elders who participate in the process, and continue this important approach that upholds respect for and the traditions of our Indigenous peoples.
To close, the government must invest in a court system that provides British Columbians with fair, secure and reliable access to justice.
On behalf of the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch, I urge you to modernize our courts by investing in technology, in the Early Resolution Process, and in Indigenous Courts.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide these comments, and I am pleased to answer any of your questions.