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Getting Help

Due to our upcoming office move the casework line is temporarily closed until further notice.

Please note that the BC Civil Liberties Association cannot provide you with legal representation. If you need a lawyer, please see this list of resources for options for free and low-cost legal help.

There is also a great deal of information available on our website that individuals might find useful in dealing with civil liberties issues.  Browse our publications, handbooks, and resources for more information.

In some cases, the BCCLA may be able to provide assistance to individuals with issues affecting their civil liberties. Some examples of civil liberties issues that we might be able to assist with include those relating to accountability of law enforcement, privacy violations, access to information requests, democratic rights, and freedom of expression.

We are most likely to get directly involved in cases that may involve changes to a law or a policy. Concentrating our efforts on addressing laws or policies allows us to maximize the impact of our limited resources. We take on cases that are likely to have an impact on people beyond the individual complainant.

There are many incidents of unfairness and injustice that the BCCLA simply does not have the capacity or the expertise to handle.  If we cannot offer you assistance it does not mean that your complaint is without merit.

[TEMPORARILY CLOSED] Our casework line is staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to noon and from 1pm to 4pm. We will not be able to answer or respond to calls outside of those times. The number is 604-630-9754 or toll free: 1-866-731-7507.

You may email the BCCLA at casework(at)bccla.org.

Correspondence can also be mailed to the BCCLA at: 306-268 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1X5

WHAT WE CAN DO:

  • Assist individuals filing formal complaints with public bodies, such as privacy complaints and police complaints.
  • Provide resources to those filing Freedom of Information requests.
  • Provide contact information for other organizations that provide more specialized services, direct advocacy services, or low-cost or free legal assistance.
  • Provide individuals with general legal informationthrough our plain-language legal handbooks, such as The Arrest Handbook: A Guide to Your Rights.
  • Help individuals with formal written correspondence in their efforts to resolve their civil liberties concerns.

The BCCLA also works on issues of national security and physician assisted dying. If you have an issue raising one of these topics, we will do our best to connect you with the appropriate person and/or resources.

Handout + Tools for the Public:

On the Legality of Mask Policies

Since the implementation of BC’s mandatory mask order, many have raised questions about whether such policies are a violation of our Charter rights. Check out our Mask Policy Factsheet to learn more about the rules of constitutional law in Canada … Read More →

COVID-19 and Conditional Releases from Federal Prisons

Even with additional COVID-19 preventative measures, prisons remain unsanitary and overcrowded, and imprisoned people have limited access to healthcare. Download our factsheet to learn more about COVID-19 and conditional release from federal prisons.  

COVID-19 and Tenant Privacy Rights

The law gives tenants control over whether to share their medical information, including a COVID-19 diagnosis, with their landlords, and whether the landlord may share it with others. Download our factsheet to learn more about your privacy rights as a tenant: … Read More →

What is an Emergency Order?

What is an emergency order and what powers does it give governments? Download our factsheet for an overview of the laws that governments have been using to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19:

Know Your Rights: Injunctions and Contempt of Court

By Dylan Mazur NOTE: This resource is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. If you are arrested for contempt of court, contact a lawyer. On January 7, 2019, fourteen people were arrested at the checkpoint on Gidumt’en … Read More →

Know Your Protest Rights

Protest is a critical part of our Charter-protected rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. This pamphlet provides information about your right to protest, tips for being prepared, and information on how to hold police accountable if your … Read More →

Making a Complaint Against the Police

If you think that a police officer acted wrongly, you have the right to complain, whether or not you were personally affected the action. Find out when to complain, how to complain, and what to include by using our guide. … Read More →

HIV Testing Handbook: A Guide to Your Rights

This handbook covers some of the topics that you need to know to understand your rights in regards to HIV testing in a new environment where the push is for “routine testing”. It covers topics like informed consent, “non-nominal” (no … Read More →

Creative Commons LicenceThis work by BC Civil Liberties Association is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada License.