Where to Get Help and Child Support in BC

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Child Support in BC from People's Law School is no longer available. For updated coverage of this topic, see Dial-A-Law's page on child support.

Where to Get Help

Comprehensive Child Support Service If you live in the Kelowna, Nanaimo, Vancouver or Surrey areas and you need to find out more about child support and obtaining or changing a child support order or agreement, the new Child Support Officer can help. Child Support Officers will help you understand the child support guidelines and calculate what you are entitled to receive or must pay under those guidelines. Kelowna: 250.712.3636

Vancouver: 604.660.2084
Nanaimo: 250.741.5447
Surrey: 604.501.8282
Toll-free: 1.888.227.7734

Family Justice Counsellors Family Justice Counsellors can mediate issues involving parenting arrangements, contact, child support and spousal support. Family Justice Counsellors don’t provide legal advice. They will refer you to legal services if you need them. Family Justice Counsellors can also make referrals to other sources of help. Call Enquiry BC to find the nearest Family Justice Centre

Greater Vancouver:604.660.2421
Greater Victoria: 250.387.6121
Elsewhere in BC: 1.800.663.7867

Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP) FMEP is a government service that enforces orders and agreements for child support and spousal support. FMEP staff will receive, record, and forward support payments to the recipient. If necessary, staff will take action to try to ensure that the payor makes the required payments. To register with FMEP, you need an enrolment package. You can get the enrolment package at any Provincial Courthouse, Service BC Centres, Ministry of Social Development office or FMEP at the central Enrolment Office. Enrolment Office

Box 5100
Victoria, BC V8R 6N3
250.220.4040
Toll-free: 1.800.663.3455
www.fmep.gov.bc.ca

Parenting After Separation Program The Parenting After Separation Program is a free, three-hour information session that parents (and other family members, such as grandparents) may attend in person. You do not have to attend the same program session as the other parent. The Parenting After Separation Program is also available online. www.familieschange.ca To find out more abou tParenting After Separation, talk to a Family Justice Counsellor.

Legal Advice

JP Boyd’s BC Family Law Resource Website offers a comprehensive survey of family law, divorce law and the court process in British Columbia, Canada. It’s written in plain language, with handy pop-up definitions for legal words and phrases, and covers pretty much everything there is to know about family law and divorce law in the province. www.bcfamilylawresource.com

Blog: www.bcfamilylawresource.blogspot.ca

Legal Services Society of BC (Legal Aid) If your legal problem is covered under the legal aid rules and you are financially eligible, the Legal Services Society of BC will appoint a lawyer for you if you apply.

Legal Services Society of BC has helpful booklets, videos, and an online self-help kit for people who are facing legal issues from separation or divorce, including child support. LSS may have additionalservices available.

Lower Mainland: 604.408.2172

Outside the Lower Mainland:
1.866.577.2525
www.familylaw.lss.bc.ca/default.asp

Lawyer Referral Service The Lawyer Referral Service can give you the name of a family law lawyer near you who will give you a 30-minute consultation for $25. You can then hire that lawyer, if you wish. Greater Vancouver:

604.687.3221
Toll-free: 1.800.663.1919

Mediate BC Mediators are impartial and have no decision-making powers. The mediator’s roles include:
  • helping the parties to define the issues in dispute
  • providing a neutral and appropriate location for the mediation
  • screening cases to ensure safety
  • managing the mediation process and keeping the discussion on track
  • helping the parties to communicate their interests clearly
  • helping parties reach an agreement
  • providing a neutral and appropriate location for the mediation session.
Mediate BC Society

Family Mediation Services
Lower Mainland:
1.604.684.1300
local 23
Toll-Free: 1.855.660.8406
fms@mediatebc.com
www.mediatebc.com


This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2014.


Child Support in BC from People's Law School is no longer available. For updated coverage of this topic, see Dial-A-Law's page on child support.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence Child Support in BC © People's Law School is, except for the images, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence.