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Finding an Advocate

If you cannot find the answer to your question on this website, you can call TRAC Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre's tenant info line at (604) 255-0546 or 1 (800) 665-1185.  We may refer you to one of the following organizations.  Or you can contact them directly to see if you qualify for assistance by one of their advocates.

• Finding an Advocate

You can also search the map on Povnet to find what resources are available in your part of the Province.

Multicultural Agencies

Multicultural agencies specialize in providing information and support for newcomers to Canada.

• Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service agencies of BC (AMSSA) (AMSSA's website lists all of the multicultural agencies around the province)
• Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISS provides services only for newly arrived immigrants and refugees in the Lower Mainland area)
• MOSAIC (This agency has a legal advocate that may be able to assist immigrants with their housing disputes)
• North Shore Multicultural Society (They provide information and services to the multicultural community on the North Shore)
• Options Services to Communities Society (They provide a wide variety of programs)
• Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) (They provide legal services)
• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. (They provide information and assistance in several languages including Cantonese and Mandarin)

Other Legal Resources

For summary legal advice you can contact the following organizations:

• Legal Services Society of BC
  
• Law Student Legal Advice Program (Vancouver area only)
• The Law Centre (University of Victoria law students)

Finding a Lawyer

Very few tenants ever go to a Residential Tenancy Branch hearing with a lawyer. However, if you are going to the BC Supreme Court, you will want to try to get a lawyer to represent you.  Below are listed some organizations who may be able to provide legal representation but we recommend that you call TRAC Tenant Resource & Advisory Centre's tenant info line before contacting the following organizations.

• BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre (for Judicial Review)
• The Salvation Army Pro Bono Clinic
• Community Legal Assistance Society (for Judicial Review) 
• Pro Bono BC (for Judicial Review)
• Western Access to Justice