Summary

• The Province’s early resolution process is expanding to every Provincial Court family registry location within the Vancouver, Fraser, Vancouver Island and Interior regions
• The early resolution process is a free service that supports families in resolving family-law matters out of court
• By expanding the program to more communities, more families can resolve disputes without going to court, freeing court resources for other matters, improving overall court efficiency

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Quicker, more affordable family-law solutions are now available to more families throughout British Columbia with the expansion of the early resolution process program to 35 more Provincial Court family registry locations.

“Separations and divorces are stressful enough situations without adding costly, time-consuming court processes to the mix,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “Families navigating these difficult times need all the support they can get, which is why we introduced the early resolution process. With this latest expansion, many more families in B.C. will be able to access to this service, when and where they need it.”

What’s happening

The early resolution process is a free service that applies to family-law matters, such as parenting arrangements, contact, child and spousal support, and companion animals. It is designed to reduce conflict, resolve disputes out of court and develop plans in the best interests of children. 

The service began as a pilot project in Victoria in 2019, which was gradually expanded to select Provincial Court family registries in the Lower Mainland. With this latest expansion, the process is now available in all remaining Provincial Court family registry locations within the Vancouver, Fraser, Vancouver Island and Interior regions. By expanding the program to more communities, more families can resolve disputes without going to court, freeing up court resources for other matters and improving overall court efficiency.

How the early resolution process helps people

Evaluation of the program shows positive outcomes for families, with results of the service in Surrey showing 57% of families resolved their family-law issues without going to court, and a 61% decline in new family-law cases at the courthouse. Evaluations conducted in Victoria also found that the median time from assessment to completion of consensual dispute resolution was 60 days. 

The process also provides an opportunity for an early assessment for family violence in every family law case proceeding to Provincial Court. This includes screening for family violence to ensure that dispute resolution is only recommended when it is safe and appropriate, taking into account power imbalances and patterns of violence. People can also access earlier referrals to legal advice and to victim services and community organizations.

Of the people who identified having safety or family violence concerns, and who participated in consensual dispute resolution, 72% said their concerns were addressed.

The majority of families who were assisted were supportive of the process and indicated that it helped them better understand the options available to them. This allowed them to feel better prepared for the next steps.

“Everyone should have access to affordable options when navigating family law disputes,” said Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity. “Expanding the early resolution process helps resolve disputes involving parenting arrangements and child support, as well as screening for family violence to identify and help address risks early on.”

How the process works

The early resolution process applies to disputes involving parenting arrangements, including:

• parental responsibilities and parenting time
• child support
• contact with a child
• guardianship of a child
• spousal support
• companion animals

Before filing or replying to a family-law application in Provincial Court, people participating in the early resolution process must meet with a provincial family justice counsellor to conduct a needs assessment, and might be asked to take a parenting education course or a consensual dispute resolution session.

These steps help identify safety concerns, as well as legal and non-legal needs, before a potentially costly and stressful court appearance is required. People are connected to community supports and are provided information and legal advice about what options they have to resolve their issues in and out of court. If the dispute persists after these steps are completed, either party can apply to court for any unresolved matters.

“The best interests of children guide everything we do in family law, especially during times of separation and change,” said Suzette Norbonne, managing lawyer, Society for Children and Youth of BC. “When families are supported early, it creates space for healthier outcomes and greater stability for children. The early resolution process helps families move forward with care, while ensuring that children’s perspectives remain central to important decisions.”

This expansion is part of government’s work to help families prepare for the next steps in their legal journey and ensure timely access to justice for people in British Columbia.

Quotes:

Wendy Jackson, chief executive officer, Legal Aid BC –

“Legal Aid BC is happy to work as a collaborative partner in the early resolution process to provide legal advice, facilitate agreements where possible and, for parties appearing in court, to better prepare them for the process.”

Melissa Gillespie, chief judge, Provincial Court of British Columbia –

“Expanding early resolution helps families resolve disputes without going to court, and gives them the support they need, leading to better outcomes for families. Having early resolution available on Vancouver Island and the Interior as of May 1 is an integral part of our commitment to improving access to justice for families in British Columbia.”

Quick Facts:

• The expansion of the early resolution process to 35 new locations is being done without any additional cost to government and entirely through existing resources.
• Family law applications related to protection, enforcement, case management or priority parenting matters can still proceed directly to the courts.
• An early resolution registry is a type of Provincial Court registry (where people go to file court documents and forms) that deals specifically with family law matters. 

Learn More:

To learn more about the Early Resolution Process, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/EarlyResolution

To learn more about family-justice centres and justice-access centres and where to find them, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/FamilyJusticeCentres

To read about the previous expansion of the early resolution process, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/32993

A backgrounder follows.