Free family law support expands across Vancouver Island with new court services

Families across Vancouver Island will soon have expanded access to free family law support aimed at resolving disputes outside of court.

The Province says its early resolution process will be available at more Provincial Court family registry locations starting May 1st, including several communities across the region.

The service is designed to help people navigate family law issues such as parenting arrangements, child support and spousal support without immediately going through the court system.

It first launched as a pilot project in Victoria in 2019 and has gradually expanded to other parts of the province.

With this latest rollout, the program will now be offered in additional Vancouver Island communities including Campbell River, Courtenay, Duncan, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Tofino and Ucluelet, along with municipalities within the Greater Victoria area.

According to the Province, the process involves meeting with a family justice counsellor to assess needs and identify possible solutions before filing a court application.

Participants may also be directed to parenting education or dispute resolution sessions.

The goal is to reduce conflict and help families reach agreements earlier, while also connecting them with legal advice and community supports.

According to the BC government, data from previous rollouts suggests the approach has had some impact. In Surrey, more than half of participating families resolved their issues without going to court, while new family law cases at the courthouse dropped by 61%.

On Vancouver Island, earlier evaluations found the median time to complete a consensual resolution was about 60 days.

The process also includes screening for family violence in every case, with safeguards in place to ensure dispute resolution is only used when it is considered safe and appropriate.

While the service is free to use, not all matters are required to go through the early resolution process. Cases involving protection orders, enforcement or urgent parenting issues can still proceed directly to court.

The expansion is part of broader efforts to improve access to the justice system and reduce pressure on courts by resolving some disputes earlier in the process.