More BC families will get early help to resolve parenting and support issues when early resolution services expand to all Provincial Court locations in the Interior, on Vancouver Island, and to Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Klemtu on May 1, 2026. 

The early resolution process provides information, needs assessment including screening for family violence, referrals to address both legal and non-legal needs, a parenting education program, and when appropriate at least one consensual dispute resolution session before people file a court application.

Since the BC government and the Provincial Court launched the early resolution approach to family disputes in Victoria in 2019, it’s been evaluated, fine-tuned, and gradually expanded to additional court locations around the province.

Evaluations in Victoria and Surrey showed that providing information and resources early in family disputes helps families resolve them out of court. It also improves people’s understanding of the family justice process, increases their use of consensual dispute resolution methods like mediation, and reduces the number of cases brought to court.

Both children and parents benefit from avoiding the stress and other burdens of litigation when they can resolve issues out of court. By helping families sooner, early resolution makes them healthier, reduces future conflict, reduces the Adverse Child Experiences related to parental separation, and decreases costs for our health and justice systems. 

Starting May 1, 2026, early resolution steps will apply in these court locations:

• Vancouver Island - Ahousaht, Campbell River, Courtenay, Duncan, Gold River, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Port Hardy, Tofino, Ucluelet, and Western Communities
• Interior - Clearwater, Kamloops, Lillooet, Merritt, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Grand Forks, Invermere, Kelowna, Nakusp, Nelson, Penticton, Princeton, and Rossland
• Central coast - Powell River, Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Klemtu*

They already apply in:

• Victoria
• Vancouver, North Vancouver, Pemberton, Richmond, Sechelt
• Fraser Valley - Abbotsford, Chilliwack, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Surrey

Other Provincial Court registries remain Parenting Education Program Registries, where you complete a Parenting After Separation course before attending court for a Family Management Conference.

What the change means 

People in the Interior and on Vancouver Island and the Central Coast will now have to take these steps before filing an application in Provincial Court about a family law matter:

• File a Notice to Resolve a Family Law Matter Form 1 
• Provide a copy of the Notice to Resolve to each other party 
• Take part in a needs assessment
• Complete the Parenting After Separation online course, if applicable   
• Attend at least one consensual dispute resolution session, if appropriate   

There will no longer be any Family Justice registries, and the Provincial Court Family Rules will be amended to reflect that change. Until May 1, 2026, Nanaimo and Kelowna are Family Justice registries, but they will then become Early Resolution registries.

Exceptions

The Early Resolution and Parenting after Separation requirements don’t apply to applications for protection orders, priority parenting matters, relocation, enforcement, case management and consent orders.

BC’s Early Resolution approach to family court cases (Provincial Court video)

* Note: This article uses common terms for BC’s geographic regions. Administratively, Powell River is included in the Court’s Vancouver Island Region. Bella Bella, Bella Coola and Klemtu are administered by the Office of the Chief Judge.