Legal Advocacy
The Legal Advocacy Program offers free advocacy support and assistance to financially restricted individuals and families in Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton.
The Legal Advocate at SSCS provides one-on-one advice, of varying degrees (referral, summary advice, or full representation) to low-income clients on a variety of legal topics.
We offer public education, information, guidance, and support during mediations in areas such as:
- Housing – Residential Tenancy Disputes
- Employment Issues – Employment Insurance and Employment Standards
- Income Assistance – Disability applications and appeals, information on rights and benefits, etc.
- CPP-D and PWD appeals
- Consumer/Debt Issues
In addition to this, we also work closely with community service providers and can provide referrals.
To access Legal Advocacy
If you need an advocate’s advice, have further questions about the Legal Advocacy Program, or want to book an appointment, please contact the advocate by email at legal.advocacy@sscs.ca.
- Please contact our office at admin@sscsc.ca, or 604 892 5796 to schedule an appointment.
- Appointments can be scheduled in person or by phone.
- You can expect a reply to your appointment request within 1-3 business days depending on the volume of requests.
Community Outreach days
Whistler – 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month
Whistler Library 12 pm – 2 pm
WCSS Foodbank 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Pemberton – 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month
SSCS Food Bank 10 am – 12 pm
Pemberton Library 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Squamish Library – 4th Monday of every month
10:15 am – 2:15 pm
Office Hours
Office Hours for in-person and/or virtual appointments:
Squamish
38024 Fourth Avenue
Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm
Whistler
Whistler Community Services Society
8000 Nesters Rd
Thursdays – By appointment only
Pemberton
1347 Aster St
Fridays – By appointment only
First Intake
In the first intake, we may give summary advice, provide you with information or refer you to another agency. We may also not have an answer for you during the first appointment. To better assist you with your matter, we may need to get back to you at a later date.
Appointment Expectations
Clients will read and sign a disclaimer and fill out a confidential intake form. All appointments are strictly confidential. If you have ID, please bring that to your appointment.
We would like to thank our sponsor for generously supporting us!
Free and/or Low-Cost Legal Resources
Aboriginal Legal Aid in BC: Innovative and culturally informed legal aid services for Indigenous people in BC.
- Do I qualify for legal representation?
- What is First Nations Court?
- Aboriginal Community Legal Workers
Access Pro Bono: All British Columbians qualify for many pro-bono programs or the lawyer referral service, depending on level of income.
Clicklaw: Public information and education on the legal system in British Columbia. Get information on simple or commonly asked legal questions, or use their tool to help identify a list of resources to help with navigating various legal situations.
- Tenant Survival Guide: Basic information on residential tenancy law in BC.
- Cliquez Justice (French website)
Community Legal Assistance Society : Non-profit law firm specializing in housing, income assistance, workers’ rights, human rights, and mental health law.
Courts of British Columbia: Learn more about the courts in BC.
Dial-A-Law: A great starting point to get more information and help you navigate the legal system in an informed way. Know your rights so you can protect them.
Disability Law Clinic: Law clinic provided by the Disability Alliance of BC addressing topics like housing, workplace accommodation, service animals, and other access needs.
Family Law BC: Information and resources to navigate family law issues, such as: divorce and separation, parenting, support, family violence, child protection, and other issues important to families
- Abuse and Family Violence
- Family Law LINE: Call toll-free at 1-866-577-2525 during the regular operating hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, or Wednesday between 9 am to 2:30 pm.
Howe Sound Women’s Centre – Legal Services: Online clinics and resources specializing in women’s and family law issues.
Immigration and Refugee Legal Clinic: Assisting individuals and families whose immigration or refugee legal issues are not met by the traditional legal aid system.
Legal Aid BC: Free legal services for British Columbians. Priority is given to low-income residents, but some services are available to all residents.
MyLaw BC: Online tool maintained by Legal Aid BC to help identify, plan and resolve legal issues in BC.
Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC: The Native Courtworker Program is a culturally-informed program to support indigenous persons navigating the criminal justice system.
People’s Law School: Impartial public legal information. From consumer rights to wills to work to dispute resolution, find out what you need to know on the easy-to-use website. For example, ever wondered what unbundled legal services are? You can find out more on the People’s Law School website.
PovNet: PovNet connect poverty and family law advocates and pro bono lawyers from across British Columbia working on issues like housing, income, workers’ rights, Indigenous legal issues, newcomers to Canada, and more.
RISE Legal Clinic: Legal clinic based in Vancouver serving women across BC.
Seniors First BC: Seniors First BC offers a mix of legal psycho-social and justice based supports to older adults. Check out the website for information, tools and programs.
Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC): Free legal education and advocacy for BC tenants.
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