British Columbia Law Institute is pleased to release two new publications.

Questions and Answers About Pension Division on the Breakdown of a Relationship in British Columbia 5th Edition

British Columbia Law Institute is pleased to release Questions and Answers about Pension Division on the Breakdown of a Relationship in British Columbia, a trusted guide for navigating the complexities of pension regulation and family law in British Columbia for over 30 years. Serving both professionals and the public, it offers clear, detailed answers to technical questions about pension division.

This online resource has been refreshed to reflect recent legal developments, including the May 2023 passage of Bill 17, which amended Part 6 of the Family Law Act (and implemented recommendations from BCLI’s 2021 Report on Pension Division: A Review of Part 6 of the Family Law Act). Pension division does not arise in all family law matters, but it is an important issue for many people going through separations in BC. The Q&A helps create consistency in how these divisions are administered and includes several updates where further clarification or guidance was needed. It was also reviewed by a group of peer experts working in the pension field.

Click here to view the online resource

The Law at Home: A Primer on Homeownership Tenures in British Columbia

BCLI has released a new primer on homeownership tenures in BC. Understanding how housing works under the law is essential for anyone making decisions related to housing, whether as a tenant, landlord, homeowner, real estate professional, or policymaker. Our new primer provides a clear snapshot of British Columbia’s housing law landscape, explaining the legal frameworks for different forms of long-term housing tenure.

The primer explores key legal concepts, outlines a range of homeownership models, and highlights how each is shaped by distinct rights, obligations, and protections. It is intended as a starting point for learning, discussion, and deeper engagement with the legal pathways that support secure and durable housing in BC.

Click here to view the primer

A Weighty Source: UNDRIP as International Law

This blog explores BC’s highest court’s clarification that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) should be treated as a “weighty source” when interpreting Canadian law.

Read more.

Share your thoughts by December 31, 2025.

BCLI’s Rationalizing Non-Statutory Liability of Directors and Officers consultation paper looks at when directors and officers should (and shouldn’t) be personally liable. The law can be unclear, which sometimes leads to directors, officers, and not-for-profits being sued unnecessarily—even when the company is the main party at fault.

Your feedback can help shape clearer guidance for courts, protect individuals from unfair personal exposure, and support the evolution of the common law. 

Find the Consultation Paper here.

Second Annual Mathew Good Memorial Prize

With the support of Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia (CBABC), we are pleased to announce the second annual BCLI Mathew Good Memorial Prize essay contest. The annual contest awards a prize of $1,000 to an outstanding essay written by a British Columbia law school student. The contest is sponsored by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.

Submissions are open through April 2026. The winning essay will receive a $1,000 prize, generously sponsored by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.

See more information about the contest here.

Don’t try to make your will by e-mail
This blog explains while WESA permits electronic wills, you still can’t make a valid will by email or text because all the usual witnessing and signing requirements still apply.

BC Supreme Court finds preserving rule of law “paramount” in Walbran Valley injunction ruling
This blog summarizes a recent BC Supreme Court decision granting an interim injunction to stop a protest blockade that was preventing Tsawak-Qin Forestry from accessing its logging sites.

The post December 2025 Newsletter: News from the BCLI! first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

Consultation Paper Released

BCLI has released a Consultation Paper on Non-Statutory Liability of Directors and Officers and is looking for feedback on it by 31 December 2025.

There is conflicting case law on when corporate directors and officers may become personally liable to third parties for wrongful acts or omissions of the companies they manage. Lack of clarity in the law creates room for individuals to be sued as co-defendants on tenuous grounds when a company is the main defendant.

The tentative recommendations explained in the Consultation Paper are aimed at providing clearer guidance to courts, protection of individuals against unfair exposure to personal liability, and supporting orderly evolution of the common law on when directors and officer share liability for wrongs committed by their corporations and when not.

Find the Consultation Paper herehttps://www.bcli.org/director-liability.

BCLI Recommendation Implemented: Abolition of the Shimco Lien

Change rarely happens overnight, and sometimes law reform is no exception. Two decades after BCLI first recommended the abolition of the Shimco lien, Bill 20, the Construction Prompt Payment Act, brings that recommendation closer to reality. The BCLI team is always pleased when our recommendations are implemented.

Read more here.

Second Annual Mathew Good Memorial Prize

With the support of Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia (CBABC), we are pleased to announce the second annual BCLI Mathew Good Memorial Prize essay contest. The annual contest awards a prize of $1,000 to an outstanding essay written by a British Columbia law school student. The contest is sponsored by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.

Submissions are open through April 2026. The winning essay will receive a $1,000 prize, generously sponsored by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.

See more information about the contest here.

Congratulations to Thomas Spraggs and Katrina Harry

Congratulations to our former Board Chair, Thomas L. Spraggs, KC, who will serve as President of the Law Society of BC in 2026, and to Katrina Harry, KC, one of our project committee co-chairs, who will serve as Second Vice-President. We’re thrilled to see their leadership recognized and look forward to their contributions to the profession.

We hosted our Project Committee Appreciation Reception to honour the volunteers who contribute their time and expertise to BCLI’s projects. It was wonderful to connect with the people whose efforts help bring our law reform recommendations to life. A special thank you to Board Chair Ed Wilson and his team at Lawson Lundell LLP for graciously hosting the event.

At the beginning of October, staff lawyer Marie Ong, Kevin Zakreski, and articling student Ignacia Mendez, joined by UBC law professors Doug Harris and Adam Hofri, met with the Malaysian Strata Property Delegation. The discussion was engaging, with the delegates asking insightful questions about BC’s strata system. It was fascinating to explore the similarities and differences between our two jurisdictions.

In September, staff lawyer Megan Vis Dunbar spoke at the Thompson Rivers University Research Series about BCLI’s Navigating Shared Waters: A Study Paper on Indigenous-Led Conflict Resolution. Her presentation explored how advancing UNDRIP implementation is increasingly shaping conflict resolution through treaties and Indigenous self-government in BC, and discussed ways to strengthen Crown support for Indigenous-led justice processes.

Not in Canada You Say? – Mark Zuckerberg Dodged Corporate Officer Liability Under US Law– What if he’d been sued in Canada?
This blog post looks at how the attempt in the US to hold Zuckerberg liable for acts of his company Meta might have played out in Canada.

Is Airspace Property?
This blog explores the rights a landowner has to the airspace above their property.

NS Supreme Court denies injunction despite finding applicant had a strong prima facie case
This blog is a summary of a court case in which the applicant couldn’t demonstrate irreparable harm and was therefore denied an injunction in a dispute over control of a group of companies.

Reliance on hearsay, breadth of order lead BC Court of Appeal to deny ministry’s request for a permanent injunction
This blog is a summary of a court case in the BC Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction tried to rely on incident reports to obtain a permanent injunction and failed because the court found the reports to be inadmissible hearsay evidence that couldn’t be admitted through section 42 of the Evidence Act.

BCLI Participates in Uniform Law Conference of Canada’s 2025 Annual Meeting
This blog highlights the Annual Meeting of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada, where government and private sector delegations review legislation, receive project updates, and guide working groups.

Mortgage Law Reform in British Columbia: The Mortgage Services Act
This blog discusses BC’s Mortgage Services Act, passed in 2022 through Bill 29, which will take effect on October 13, 2026, replacing the long-standing Mortgage Brokers Act (MBA) that has governed the industry since 1972.

The post November 2025 Newsletter: News from the BCLI! first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

Read BCLI’s 2024 Annual Report

We’re pleased to share BCLI’s 2024 Annual Report, showcasing a year of innovative law reform and forward-looking initiatives. Guided by our 2023 strategic plan and its five key pillars, this report highlights our ongoing commitment to collaboration, clarity in the law, just and innovative solutions, and expanding access to justice.

Read the annual report here.

Navigating Shared Waters: A Study Paper on Indigenous-Led Conflict Resolution

In August, BCLI released Navigating Shared Waters: A Study Paper on Indigenous-Led Conflict Resolution. This study paper looks at the important role that Indigenous-led conflict resolution plays within legal orders.

Legal pluralism exists within Canada because there are multiple distinct and co-existing legal systems. This study paper builds on BCLI’s earlier primers on legal pluralism and explores how Indigenous Peoples are using their laws to resolve disputes and the challenges that arise when these systems interact with state laws. It draws on research, legal analysis, and conversations with those involved in developing Indigenous-led conflict resolution processes.

This publication reflects BCLI’s ongoing commitment to transformative law reform that aligns with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

To read the study paper and learn more visit: https://www.bcli.org/project/indigenous-conflict-resolution.

Seeking Law Student for Notetaker in Our Leaseholds Law Reform Project Committee

BCLI seeks a current law student enrolled in a BC law school to support our team to take notes for our project committee. This is a part-time position that requires around 6-10 hours a month of work from October 2025 to June 2026.

Learn more here.

Understanding Law Reform Through the Director and Officer Liability Project with John Smith

Read the September issue of The Advocate to learn about BCLI’s Rationalizing Non-Statutory Liability of Directors and Officers Project. Project committee chair John Smith, senior counsel at Lawson Lundell, shares his insights on why reform is needed, how the law reform process works, and the project’s efforts to bring fairness and clarity to individual liability.

Read the article here.

Executive Director Karen Campbell and Senior Staff Lawyer Greg Blue, KC, attended the Uniform Law Conference of Canada’s Annual Meeting in Halifax this August. Alongside legal professionals from across the country, they discussed law reform recommendations to modernize and harmonize laws across Canada. In addition to the formal program, attendees connected through friendly softball games between the West team and East team.

Irreparable harm in the spotlight as injunction denied in commercial-lease dispute
This blog post is a summary of a recent case in which a BC court considered the test for granting an injunction and found that an applicant wasn’t entitled to the injunction it sought because it couldn’t demonstrate that it would suffer irreparable harm if the application were denied.

BC ministry declares its policy intentions on parentage
This blog post is a summary of the Ministry of Attorney General for BC’s recent publication of a policy intentions paper, which details its plans for law-reform recommendations made by BCLI and others as part of the ministry’s Family Law Act Modernization Project: Phase Two.

The persistence of the Shimco Lien: Revisiting the dual lien theory in light of Kingdom Langley Project Ltd. Partnership v WQC Mechanical Ltd
This blog post is a summary of a recent BC Court of Appeal decision reaffirming the controversial Shimco lien under the Builders Lien Act. BCLI has highlighted in depth the issues with this dual lien theory in past publications and reports – commentary that remains relevant in light of this recent court ruling. 

The rule of law within a legally plural society
This blog post focuses on how a case builds on a developing body of case law in which courts are faced with reconciling the rule of law with the application of Indigenous laws.

BC Court of Appeal declines to allow colour-of-right defence based on Indigenous laws
This blog post is a summary of the recent decision of the BC Court of Appeal, which considered contempt-of-court charges against people who were alleged to have breached an injunction during a protest against a pipeline project.

The post September 2025 Newsletter: News from the BCLI! first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

Now Accepting Nominations: Join BCLI’s Board of Directors

BCLI is currently seeking nominations for two dedicated and visionary individuals to join our Board of Directors.

We are an independent not-for-profit law reform agency that works to improve and modernize laws. Since 1997, we have been conducting law reform projects in the public interest in BC. Our reports, study papers and tools recommend just and innovative solutions that strengthen legal frameworks and enhance access to justice. We are committed to deepening our work through new and innovative projects and expanding our reach to strengthen implementation.

Our recently launched Reconciling Crown Legal Frameworks Program seeks to integrate research and education to support recognition of Indigenous legal frameworks and enable legal pluralism. Our other recent projects involve family law, housing law, land and tort law.

Board members play a critical governance role, contributing expertise to shape strategic direction, ensure accountability, and champion our mission in the broader legal and public policy landscape. The Board meets three times per year, and members are also asked to participate in our Board committees. Terms are three years, with the option to renew.

We welcome nominations from individuals with diverse backgrounds:

• Legal professionals, academics, and researchers
• Indigenous legal perspectives and worldviews
• Expertise in fundraising, governance, communications or finance
• Young professionals and individuals with experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives

Deadline to apply: August 15, 2025

Learn more and submit a nomination: www.bcli.org/job_post/board-nomination-2025. 

Announcing the Winner of the 2025 BCLI Mathew Good Memorial Prize

BCLI, with the support of the Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia (CBABC), is pleased to announce that Manjot K. Sekhon is the winner of the first annual 2025 Mathew Good Memorial Prize, an essay contest for law students. This year’s theme focused on access to justice and law reform.

Manjot is a 2025 graduate of Thompson Rivers University’s Faculty of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and is passionate about the intersection of law, social justice, and advocacy.

Her winning paper, Balancing the Scales: The Need for Reform of Judicial Guidelines to Balance Support for Self-Represented Litigants and Uphold Public Confidence looks at how the judicial system can better address the needs of self-represented litigants while upholding public confidence. It explores the challenges faced by judges as decision makers, examines the broader impact of self-represented litigants on the legal system, and proposes reforms.

The Mathew Good Memorial Prize recognizes outstanding legal writing on issues of access to justice. The prize includes a $1,000 award, generously sponsored by the Law Foundation of British Columbia. Manjot’s paper is available to read on BCLI’s website and will be published in BarTalk by the CBABC.

Congratulations, Manjot!

Spotlight on Economic Abuse in Family Businesses

Financial abuse isn’t always obvious especially when it happens within family-run businesses or small partnerships.

Our staff lawyer Alison Wilkinson is helping bring attention to this often-overlooked issue while highlighting our recently published Study Paper on Understanding Economic Abuse through Family Businesses in Family Law. She recently joined CBC’s Daybreak Kamloops with Shelley Joyce to talk about breakups and financial abuse in small business partnerships. Listen to the interview here (segment starts at 32:30).

Alison also contributed an article to the Kamloops Chronicle, offering deeper insight into economic abuse in family businesses. Read it here.

BCLI Research Helped Shape New Commercial Liens Act

BCLI’s 2003 Report on the Uniform Liens Act played a key role in shaping BC’s new Commercial Liens Act, which was passed in 2022 and came into force on June 30, 2025.

The new law replaces outdated rules, streamlining lien processes and reducing risks and costs for those working in commercial services.

Learn more in a blog post by our Board Chair Ed Wilson and Joel Schachter.

n June, BCLI’s Board of Directors met in person for the first time in a long while, after years of virtual and occasional hybrid meetings. The full-day session included regular operational updates, a presentation on our upcoming Study Paper on Indigenous-Led Conflict Resolution, and a strategic discussion on BCLI’s future directions. 

On May 28 and 29, BCLI hosted the Federation of Law Reform Agencies of Canada (FOLRAC) Conference in Vancouver.

Day 1 focused on legal pluralism and opened with a Territorial Welcome by Leah George-Wilson and remarks from Chief Justice Leonard Marchand. A highlight of the day was the presentation of the King’s Coronation Medal to Professor Val Napoleon by the Law Commission of Canada. The day continued with powerful conversations on legal pluralism in BC and beyond. In the afternoon, law reform representatives from seven provinces (AB, BC, MB, SK, ON, QC, and NS) came together to discuss how to better communicate law reform work to broader audiences.

Day 2, developed in partnership with Access to Justice BC, opened with remarks from Chief Justice Ron Skolrood and featured two thoughtful panels on law reform and access to justice. The first explored how law reform can help advance access to justice, while the second focused on strategies to engage the public through that lens.

Thank you to all the speakers, partners, and attendees who made this national gathering such a meaningful and collaborative event.

We’re excited to share that Maria (Masha) Michouris, our former Articling Student, has officially entered the legal profession! She took her Barrister and Solicitor’s Oath on May 26th, with her call to the bar ceremony held on June 13th. Masha completed her articling with guidance and support from our senior staff lawyer Kevin Zakreski, who served as her principal.

• Legislating Support for Self-Determination and FPIC: Lessons from Colombia
• How British Columbia’s Wills Reform Helped Shape England and Wales’ Proposed Wills Act
• BC Supreme Court denies anticipatory injunction in racetrack dispute
• Project Update: Pension Division Q+A 5th Edition

The post July 2025 Newsletter: News from the BCLI! first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

BCLI Releases Study Paper on Economic Abuse and Family Business and Report on Public Hearing Reform

We pleased to share the release of BCLI’s latest study paper and report: Study Paper on Understanding Economic Abuse through Family Businesses in Family Law Cases and Report on Renovating the Public Hearing.

Report on Renovating the Public Hearing

The report released in April includes recommendations related to the operation of this legal framework. Public hearings are currently the only formal process that allow people to voice their opinions on proposed changes to local land use, offering local governments a direct connection to their citizens’ views. However, in late 2023, the Province of British Columbia enacted legislation to limit their use, responding to criticisms about public hearings.

The report’s recommendations address the scope of the legislative requirement to hold a public hearing. They consider when a public hearing should or should not be required, encourage local governments to adopt other forms of public engagement—guided by principles-based guidance from the provincial government—and recommend maintaining existing legislation regarding the timing and procedures of public hearings.

Read the report here.

Study Paper on Understanding Economic Abuse Through Family Businesses in Family Law Cases

Economic abuse is a form of family violence that can have serious legal implications, particularly during family breakdown. When a family business is involved, it can become a tool for family violence—used to control, manipulate, or deprive a partner of financial resources. Recognizing this form of violence is important for legal professionals to ensure just and fair outcomes. Yet, this issue remains underexplored in legal literature and case law.

This study paper aims to deepen understanding of how economic abuse occurs through family businesses, how it is currently addressed (or overlooked) in family law, and the challenges that arise in responding to it.

Read the study paper here.

Congratulations to several members of the BCLI community who are among the twenty-nine lawyers receiving the King’s Counsel (KC) designation for 2024. Special congratulations to Mary Childs (Escheat Act Committee), Grant Haddock (Leaseholds Committee), and Tom Spraggs (former board chair), who have all contributed their time and expertise as valued BCLI volunteers. We also extend warm congratulations to Christina Cook, a collaborator on our Reconciling Crown Legal Frameworks program, and Raji Mangat, Executive Director of West Coast LEAF and a grantee through the Law Foundation of BC. Read the announcement from the Ministry of Attorney General here.

Our staff lawyer Marie Ong and communications manager Ken Chau attended the Police Victim Services of BC Symposium in May. Marie spoke about our Study Paper on Supporting Witnesses and Vulnerable Victims which was released in 2023. We also hosted a booth to share information about our BCLI publications.

In April, our senior staff lawyer Greg Blue was a guest panelist at STEP Canada (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), where he spoke about our Undue Influence Recognition and Prevention Guide which was released in 2022. He was joined by former committee members Emily Clough and Peter Chan. The session attracted 50 STEP members and highlighted practical tools for identifying and addressing undue influence in estate planning.

Photo credit: STEP Canada

In March, our executive director Karen Campbell and staff lawyer Alison Wilkinson attended the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Family Law Conference and TRU Law Career Fair, where we hosted a booth to showcase our work and connect with participants interested in family law and law reform. We were pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the TRU Family Law Conference and to engage with the TRU law community to share more about BCLI and our law reform initiatives.

Our staff lawyers Marie Ong and Megan Vis-Dunbar also attended West Coast LEAF Equality Breakfast, joined together at the same table with other public-interest legal organizations, to celebrate International Women’s Day at this inspiring annual event.

The post May 2025 Newsletter: News from the BCLI! first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.