Local Resources
BC Court Services, Court House,
100 Main Street, Penticton, B.C. V2A 5A5
Telephone: 250-492-1231 www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/
Registry clerks at the Penticton Court House will provide some assistance in completing forms.
Credit Counselling Society
Toll-free: 1-888-527-8999 www.nomoredebts.org
Services available in Penticton. No-cost confidential credit counselling and low-cost debt repayment programs.
Penticton & Area Women’s Centre, Poverty Law Program
209, 304 Martin Street, Penticton, B.C. V2A 5K4
Assistance with applications and appeals for CPP disability, persons with disabilities and long term
disability. www.pawc.ca
Telephone: 250-493-6822 Toll-free: 1-866-493-6822 email: info@pawc.ca
Salvation Army Community and Family Services Law Clinic
2399 South Main Street, Penticton, V2A 5J1
Half hour appointments with volunteer lawyers. 12:00 –2:00 p.m., Wednesdays by appointment.
Telephone: 250-492-4788
Consumer and Credit/Debt Law: online and telephone resources
Better Business Bureau of Mainland British Columbia
788 Beatty Street, Suite 404, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 2M1
Toll-free: 1-888-803-1222 Fax: 604-681-1544
e-mail: inquiry@bbbvan.org www.bbb.org
File a complaint online, reports on companies, buyer’s tips.
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of BC
PO Box 9244, Victoria, BC V8W 9J2
Toll-free: 1-888-564-9963 Fax: 250-920-7181
Email: info@bpcpa.ca www.bpcpa.ca
Canadian Consumer Information Gateway
Information about rights and complaints, consumer challenges and solutions, identity theft, calculators and check-lists. www.consumerinformation.ca
Canadian Marketing Association
The ‘Do Not Contact’ service enables individuals to reduce the number of marketing offers they receive by mail, telephone and fax. Consumers register to have their names removed from marketing lists held by members of the Canadian Marketing Association. www.the-cma.org/consumer/donotcontact.cfm
Consumer Connection, Industry Canada
The Consumer Connection Web site is published by Industry Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs and offers practical information and tools to help protect your interests and to spend wisely in the marketplace. Discover a treasure trove of consumer information, including the Canadian Consumer Handbook 2006.
www.strategis.ic.gc.ca
Legal Services Society of British Columbia
Publishes: Consumer Law and Credit/Debt Law: A Guide for British Columbia www.lss.bc.ca
Identity Theft Resources
Equifax Canada/Trans Union
Toll-free: 1-877-525-3823 www.equifax.com
Contact this number IMMEDIATELY if your credit cards, drivers license, bank cards, etc. are stolen. There are two national credit reporting organizations. Tell them to put a FRAUD ALERT by your name. It will stop somebody from using your details for identity theft.
Office of the Information & Privacy Commission for British Columbia
A list of resources for consumers on the issue of identity theft. www.oipcbc.org
Toll-free: 1-800-663-7867 (Service BC: ask to be transferred to the Privacy Commissioner.)
Fax: 1-250-387-1696 email: info@oipc.bc.ca
Service Canada www.servicecanada.gc.ca
Replacement of government identification, lost wallet helpful hints, identity theft.
Toll-free: 1 800 622-6232 TTY: 1 800 926-9105
Small Claims Court Resources
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of BC
Toll-free: 1-888-564-9963 www.bpcpa.ca
Consumer Assistance Directory, part 1: ‘recovering damages yourself’.
Small Claims Court, Court Services Branch
Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Attorney General
Small claims court is a court of law, but it's not designed for lawyers. It's meant to be a "do-it-yourself" kind of court, where ordinary people can handle their own cases, whichever side they're on. It is a place where people can go to settle their differences in cases worth anywhere up to $25,000. Site includes: small claims manual, forms, procedural guidelines, rules, court order interest rates.
www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/civil/smallclaims
The following online and telephone resources may also be useful. See the index for page numbers.
Canadian Human Rights Commission Dial-A-Law and the Lawyer Referral Service
Electronic Law Library LawLINK
People’s Law School Law LINE
UVic: The Law Clinic
UBC Law Student’s Legal Advice Manual, chapters 9,10,22