Other Resources for Tenants

From Clicklaw Wikibooks


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: [3]

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


This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre, 2012.


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