Environmental Legal Resources

The Access to Justice program at West Coast Environmental Law provides legal information and summary legal advice on environmental issues of public importance and/or community interest that affect BC. The resources below may be able to assist you if your legal issue falls outside this criteria and help you to develop your understanding of the law and how to use it to accomplish your environmental protection goals.
 

Free legal assistance in British Columbia

  • Access Pro Bono
    Access Pro Bono provides free legal services to people and non-profit organizations of limited means throughout BC.
    Contact: (604) 878-7400
  • Access Pro Bono Lawyer Referral Service
    The referral service will connect you with a lawyer for a 15-minute free consultation to determine your legal needs and if they can work with you. If you’d like further help from the lawyer, you can retain them at an agreed-upon rate. There's no obligation for either party to continue after the free 15-minute consultation.
    Contact: (604) 687-3221 | Community Partners page
  • Legal Aid BC
    Funding for legal representation, advice and information on family law, criminal, immigration, mental health and prison law issues.
    Contact: (604) 408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1 (866) 577-2525 (elsewhere in BC) | Community Partners page
  • Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC
    Legal information, advice and representation services for anyone self-identified as Indigenous or Aboriginal on the topics of family law, criminal law, income assistance, wills and estates, living on reserve.
    Contact: (604) 408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1 (866) 577-2525 (elsewhere in BC) – same as Legal Aid BC
  • BC First Nations Justice Council
    Legal representation for Indigenous people and families in BC with family law and criminal matters.
    Contact: 1 (877) 602-4858 or (778) 940-1520
  • Community Legal Assistance Society
    Summary legal advice and free legal assistance for all BC residents who face systemic discrimination in the areas of housing, human rights, mental health law, work-related issues, accessing government benefits, and sexual harassment in the workplace.
    Contact: contact@clasbc.net | (604) 685–3425 or 1 (888) 685-6222 (Toll-free in BC)
  • Disability Law Clinic at Disability Alliance BC
    Summary legal advice and referral service for BC residents with disabilities on certain disability-related legal issues including discrimination, human rights and access to services. 
    Contact: lawclinic@disabilityalliancebc.org | (236) 427-1108 or 1 (800)-663-1278 (toll-free) | Helpful list of legal and nonlegal resources
  • Ecojustice
    Brings cases on significant environmental legal issues free of charge working with individuals, organizations, and First Nations.
    Contact: Make a legal inquiry
  • Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria
    Students in the ELC Clinic produce legal tools and resources on a wide range of public interest environmental issues. Access citizen handbook, public legal education materials and find out more about how to request help from ELC here.
    Contact: elc@uvic.ca | (250) 721-8188
  • Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC)
    Free legal education, representation and advocacy on residential tenancy matters.
    Contact: Tenant Infoline (604) 255-0546 or 1 (800) 665-1185
     

Public legal information resources

Legal research resources

Toolkits and Handbooks
 

Conservation

Civil Disobedience

We cannot advise people to break the law. Below is legal information about the liabilities attached to protesting and breaking the law. Please be aware that this is not legal advice.

Community Organizing

Freedom of Information

Municipal Bylaws

File Download
Guide-to-the-Law-of-Protest-January 25 2025 - final.pdf