The following table shows the 3 different Provincial Court Family Registries in British Columbia

1. Early Resolution Registry

1.1 Initial Requirements

Before you can file an Application About a Family Law Matter in the Surrey or Victoria provincial court family registries, you first have to do all of the following, unless you are exempt (Provincial Court Family Rules Rule 10):

1. File a Notice to Resolve in Form 1;
2. Provide a copy of the Notice to Resolve to each of the other parties;
3. Participate in a Needs Assessment;
4. Complete a Parenting Education Program; and
5. Participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session.

Before you can file a Reply to an Application About a Family Law Matter, you first have to do all of the following (Rule 11):

1. Participate in a Needs Assessment;
2. Complete a Parenting Education Program; and
3. Participate in at least one consensual dispute resolution session.

1.2 Failure to Comply with the Early Resolution Registry Requirements

For Applicants: the court registry will not file your Application about a Family Law Matter until you comply with the requirements set out in Rule 10.

For Respondents: if you do not comply with the requirements set out in Rule 11, you will not be entitled to receive notice or other court documents. You will not be allowed to participate in the court proceedings without permission from the court. The court will be allowed to make orders in your absence.

1.3 Exemptions to Early Resolution Registry Requirements

You do not have to comply with the Early Resolution requirements set out in Rules 10 and 11 if you are applying for any of the following orders (Rule 12):

1. Case Management Order;
2. Protection Order;
3. Order about a Priority Parenting Matter;
4. Order about Relocation;
5. Consent Order; or
6. Enforcement Order.

2. Family Justice Registry

2.1 No Initial Requirements

Unlike the Early Resolution Registries, there are no special requirements before you can file an Application about a Family Law Matter or a Reply to an Application about a Family Law Matter at a Family Justice Registry

Currently, there are three provincial court registries designated as Family Justice registries: Vancouver (Robson Square), Kelowna, and Nanaimo (Rule 87).

2.2 Requirements Before a Family Management Conference

Before the parties to a family law matter can attend a Family Management Conference at a Family Justice registry, the parties must do the following (Rule 89):

1. Participate in a Needs Assessment; and
2. Complete a Parenting Education Program.

2.3 Exemptions

You do not have to comply with the above requirements if you have applied for a Protection Order or Priority Parenting Matter (Rule 90).

3. Parenting Education Program Registry

3.1 No Initial Requirements

Unlike the Early Resolution Registries, there are no special requirements before you can file an Application about a Family Law Matter or a Reply to an Application about a Family Law Matter at a Parenting Education Program Registry.

All provincial court registries other than Surrey, Victoria, Vancouver (Robson Square), Kelowna, and Nanaimo are designated as Parenting Education Program registries (Rule 97).

3.2 Requirements Before a Family Management Conference

Before attending a Family Management Conference, each party must complete a Parenting Education Program, unless exempt (Rule 100).

However, Rule 103 does allow the registry to schedule a Family Management Conference if only one party has completed a Parenting Education Program.

If you are applying for a Protection Order, you do not have to comply with this requirement.

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