Other Resources for Tenants

Housing alternatives

BC Active Manufactured Home Owners Association	Information and support for manufactured home owners.	Website: www.amhoa.ca Phone: (250) 544-1456
BC Housing	subsidized housing information	Website: www.bchousing.org Phone: (604) 433-2218 Phone toll-free: 1-800-257-7756
Co-operative Housing Federation of BC	Information for people living in co-ops.	Website: www.bcca.coop/member/co-operative-housing-federation-bc Phone: (604) 879-5111 Phone toll-free: 1-866-879-5111

Government

Residential Tenancy Branch	Government department that carries out residential tenancy law. Provides information and dispute resolution services. Visit their website to download forms, see legislation, policy guidelines, and fact sheets.	Website: www.rto.gov.bc.ca Lower Mainland Phone: (604) 660-2421 Victoria Phone:(250) 387-1602 Phone toll free: 1-800-663-7867
Service BC(Government Agent)	If there is no Residential Tenancy Branch office where you live, you can call or visit Service BC.	Website: www.servicebc.gov.bc.ca Phone:(604) 660-2421 Phone toll-free: 1-800-663-7867
Vancouver Property Use Inspector	Repairs, heat, fire safety, City of Vancouver only.	Website: Property Inspection Phone: (604) 873-7398 or 311

Advocacy and referral services

Lower Mainland:

411	Seniors center. Provides information and referrals to seniors	Website: [1] Phone: (604) 736-2033 Phone toll-free: 1-866-884-0888
Abbotsford Community Services- Legal Advocacy Office	Information, referrals, and representation. Serving Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission.	Website: Abbotsford Legal Advocacy Abbotsford Phone: 604.859.7681 Local 207 Chilliwack Phone: 604-792-8000 ext.231 Email: Kim.Kirkpatrick@AbbotsfordCommunityServices.com
BC Centre for Elderly Advocacy & Support	Legal information and represenation for tenants 55 and over.	Website: bcceas.ca Phone: (604) 437-1940, Phone toll-free: 1-866-437-1940
Richmond- CHIMO Community Services	Advocacy services for Richmond residents	Website: www.chimoservices.com Phone: 604-279-7077
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre	Drop-in centre and basic needs services; as well as mental health and legal advocacy, victim services and outreach services.	Website: dewc.ca Phone: (604) 681-8480, ext. 221
First United Church	Advocates assist people in the Greater Vancouver area with a variety of issues including welfare, tenancy, EI, and disability.	Website: firstunited.ca Phone: (604) 252-9504
Law Students’ Legal Advice Program	Legal advice and information in the Lower Mainland for people who can’t afford a lawyer.	Website: www.lslap.bc.ca Phone: (604) 822-5791
Maple Ride- Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Community Services	Advocacy services	Website: www.comservice.bc.ca Phone: 604.467.6911 ext 210
MOSAIC Legal Advocacy	Information, summary advice, referrals, and representation to low-income immigrants and refugees.	Website: MOSAIC Legal Advocacy Phone: (604)-629-0061 Email: legaladvocacy@mosaicbc.com
Surrey- sources Newton Advocacy Group Society	Advocacy services including information, referrals, and representation. Serving Surrey residents.	Website: Sources BC Phone: (604) 596-2311
North Shore- North Shore Community Resources	legal information, support, referrals and advocacy services for residents of the North Shore (including the city of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver, Bowen Island and Lions Bay)	Website: www.nscr.bc.ca Phone: (604) 985-7138
Tri-Cities- SHARE Family and Community Services	Information, referrals, and advice. Serving Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra.	Website: sharesociety.ca Phone: (604)-937-6982
Seniors Services Society	Information on housing and benefits for seniors.	Website: seniorsservicessociety.ca Phone: (604) 520-6621
Shiloh-Sixth Avenue United Church: Community Advocate		Phone: (604) 522-3443 ext. 22
St. Paul’s Advocacy	Provides information and advocacy on tenancy issues and welfare applications.	Website: [2] St. Paul's Advocacy Phone: (604) 683-4287
The Kettle	Provide assistance for people with mental health disabilities with a range of tenancy matters including representation at arbitration.	Website: www.thekettle.ca Phone: (604) 253-0669
Wilson Heights United Church Advocacy Office	Provides community advocacy.	Website: Wilson Heights Advocacy Phone: (604) 325-9944

Victoria area

Burnside Gorge Community Association	Provides support, information, referrals, advocacy and assistance with basic needs to families in housing crisis.	Website: burnsidegorge.ca Phone: (250) 388-5251
The Law Centre	Legal advice, representation and information in Victoria for those who can’t afford a lawyer.	Website: www.thelawcentre.ca Phone: (250) 388-4516
Ready to Rent	Information on renting in BC, and community courses on renting	Website: www.readytorentbc.net Phone: (250) 388-7171
Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS)	Advocacy for tenants who are having disputes with their landlord.	Website: www.tapsbc.ca Phone: (250) 361-3521
Victoria Native Friendship Centre	Housing advocacy for homeless First Nations people as well as information and guidance about rentals, tenant rights, referrals, supportive resources and practical living skills.	http://www.vnfc.ca/ www.vnfc.ca] Phone: (250) 384-3211

Vancouver Island

Campbell River— Island JADE Society	Help with tenancy issues including representation at arbitration.	Website: Island JADE Society Phone: (250) 830-1171
Comox BC—Wachiay Friendship Center		Website: Wachiay Friendship Center Phone: (250) 338-7793, ext. 229
Courtenay—Island JADE Society		Phone: (250) 871-7708
Nanaimo—Nanaimo Citizens Advocacy Association		Phone: (250) 753-2321
Port Alberni—Port Alberni Friendship Centre	Legal information and advocacy for tenants.	Website: www.pafriendshipcenter.com Phone: ((250) 723-8281
Ucluelet—West Coast Community Resources Society	Information on renting in BC, and community courses on renting	Website: wccrs.ca Phone: (250) 726-2343

Other areas of BC

Columbia/Kootenay Advocacy and Education Resource Society		Phone: (250) 837-4779
East Kootenays (Cranbrook)—Traveling Advocate Program	assistance and information to the public regarding poverty law issues such as tenants’ rights and dispute resolutions	Website: ekadvocate.com Phone: (250) 426-4293 Phone toll free: 1-877-298-2211
Fort St. John— Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society	Information, referrals, advocacy, workshops.	Website: www.fsjwrs.ca Phone: (250) 787-1121
Hazelton—Upper Skeena Counseling and Legal Assistance Society	Legal Aid intake, advocacy services	Website: usclas.com Phone: (250) 842-5218 Phone toll free: 1-877-842-5218
Kelowna—Okanagan Advocacy and Resource Centre	Information, referrals, advocacy services for people with mental health issues.	Website: kelowna.cioc.ca Phone: (250) 979-0201
Merritt— Nicola Valley Advocacy	Advocacy services	Phone: (250) 378-9632
Nelson— The Advocacy Centre	legal information, education and problem solving for low-income residents of the Central Kootenays.	Website: advocacycentre.org Phone: (250) 352-5777 Phone toll free: 1-877-352-5777
Penticton— Penticton and Area Access Society	Advocacy services	Website: accesscentre.org Phone: (250) 493-6822
Powell River— Powell River Community Services Association	Advocacy services for low income residents	Phone: (604) 485-0950
Prince George—Active Support Against Poverty	Provides advocacy and referral services to financially poor individuals.	Phone: (250) 563-6112
Prince George— Prince George Native Friendship Centre		Website: www.pgnfc.com Phone: (250) 564-3568
Prince Rupert—Prince Rupert Unemployed Centre Society		Phone: (250) 627-8776
Vernon— Vernon and District Women’s Centre Society		Phone: (250) 542-7531
Williams Lake— Women’s Contact Society	Women’s centre, but also provides advocacy to all members of the community.	Website: www.womenscontact.org Phone: (250) 392-4118 Phone toll free: 1-888-799-5240

Legal help

Lawyer Referral	Offers advice and information from a lawyer for a fee of $25 plus taxes for the first 30 minutes.	Website: www.cba.org/bc/ Phone: 604-687-3221 Phone toll-free: 1-800-663-1919
Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS)	Help with judicial review, orders of possession, co-op evictions.	Website: www.clasbc.net Phone: (604) 685-3425 Phone toll-free: 1-888-685-6222
Access Pro Bono	Free legal advice	Website: www.accessprobono.ca Phone: (604) 878-7400 Phone toll-free: 1-877-762-6664
Dial-A-Law	Dial-A-Law is a library of practical legal information. It is operated by the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. You can listen to the Dial-A-Law scripts over the phone, or read them on the website. The scripts are available in English, Chinese and Punjabi.	Website: www.dialalaw.org Phone: 604-687-4680 Phone toll-free: 1-800-565-5297

Online resources

Clicklaw	An Internet portal for public legal information and education in British Columbia.	Website: www.clicklaw.bc.ca
MOSAIC Multilingual Legal Publications	Publications on various topics	Website: publications
PovNet	Information, resources and advocacy directory.	Website: www.povnet.org

The testing of the claims in a court proceeding at a formal hearing before a judge with the jurisdiction to hear the proceeding. The parties present their evidence and arguments to the judge, who then makes a decision resolving the parties' claims against one another that is final and binding on the parties unless successfully appealed. See "action," "appeal," "argument," "claim," "evidence" and "jurisdiction."

In law, the re-examination of a term of an order or agreement, usually to determine whether the term remains fair and appropriate in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time of the review. In family law, particularly the review of an order or agreement provided for the payment of spousal support. See "de novo," "family law agreements," "order" and "spousal support."

Processes used to resolve legal disputes, including negotiation, collaborative settlement processes, mediation, arbitration and litigation.

An act; a statute; a written law made by a government. See "regulations."

In contract law, a promise made by someone about a certain state of affairs, like "the plumbing was replaced last year" or "I had a vasectomy two years ago." See "misrepresentation."

In law, a legal incapacity to do certain things, like enter into a contract or start a court proceeding. Legal disabilities include insanity and being under the age of majority. See "age of majority."

A person licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction by that jurisdiction's law society. See "barrister and solicitor."

A dispute resolution process in which an arbitrator hears the evidence and arguments presented by the parties to a legal dispute and makes an award that resolves the dispute and is binding on the parties. The arbitration of family law disputes is governed by rules set out in Part 2, Division 4 of the Family Law Act. See "alternative dispute resolution" and "family law arbitrator."

In law, the right to have the control and use of a thing. One can have a right to the possession of a thing without owning it, as in the case of a car lease, or ownership without possession, as in the case of a landlord who rents an apartment suite. See "ownership."