Governing Legislation and Resources for Wills and Estate (16:II)

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This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by the Law Students' Legal Advice Program on July 8, 2022.



A. Legislation

  • Wills, Estates and Succession Act, SBC 2009, c13 [WESA].
  • Trustee Act, RSBC 1996, c 464.

B. Texts

Many texts are available that provide more information on this area of the law. Be aware that the law on wills & estates has significantly changed since WESA came into force on 31 March 2014. Therefore, earlier resources may be outdated. The Continuing Legal Education Society of BC (CLEBC) offers the following material for a paid subscription:

1. General

Kate Bake-Paterson et al, BC Estate Planning & Wealth Preservation, (Vancouver: CLEBC, 2020)

James Baird et al, Wills, Estates, and Succession Act Transition Guide (Vancouver: CLEBC, 2014)

2. Drafting

Peter Bogardus, Sadie Wetzel & Mary Hamilton, Wills and Personal Planning Precedents - An Annotated Guide (Vancouver: CLEBC, 2020)(“Wills and Personal Planning Precedents”)

3. Probate

Shelley Bentley et al, Probate and Estate Administration Practice Manual (Vancouver: CLEBC, 2020)

C. Bureaus and Web Sites

Department of Vital Statistics

This department keeps records of all births, marriages, deaths, and name changes in British Columbia. Additionally, this department manages the wills registry.


605 Robson Street, Room 250

Vancouver, B.C., V6B 5J3

Telephone: 1 (888) 876-1633

Website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/seniors/health-safety/health-care-programs-and-services/vital-statistics


Canadian Legal Information Institute ('CanLII')

CanLII is a non-profit organization that provides access to court judgments, tribunal decisions, statutes and regulations from all Canadian jurisdictions.

Website: http://www.canlii.org/en/


© Copyright 2023, The Greater Vancouver Law Students' Legal Advice Society.