About our housing, income security and debt work

CLAS has operated the Community Law Program since 1971. Our current program has 5 lawyers funded to help clients with legal issues associated with economic disadvantage.

Our main practice areas are housing, income security, and debt. We regularly argue cases on these issues at all levels of court in BC, and in a wide range od administrative tribunals. We work closely with community advocates across the province, and we also supervise the advocacy groups and provide legal education.  

Some of our key successes in court over the past few years include the following cases:

• Doughty v. Whitworth Holdings Ltd. (Housing - rent increases)
• Mochizuki v. Whitworh Holdings Ltd. (Housing - adequacy of reasons)
• Ross v. Mrs. Simpson (Housing - procedural fairness)
• Barry and Kloet v. British Columbia (Housing - evictions for renovation)
• Harley v. British Columbia (Income security - fairness at Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal)
• Total Credit Recovery v. Roach (Debt - harassment by debt collector)
• Clements et al v. Gordon Nelson Investment Ltd (Housing - rent increases)
• Gillis v. Canada (Income security - veteran's pensions)
• Hudson v. British Columbia (Income security - disability benefits and adequacy of reasons)