What is CASL?

The Community Advocate Support Line (CASL) is a poverty law legal support service exclusively for community-based advocates in BC. It is operated by the Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) and is funded by the Law Foundation of BC.

CASL is staffed by one full-time lawyer and one part-time lawyer. The CASL lawyers support the work that advocates do by offering advocates legal information, legal advice, and training on various poverty law issues, including:

  • welfare law (including disability assistance),
  • residential tenancy and other housing issues,
  • employment and employment insurance,
  • Canada Pension Plan (including disability benefits),
  • Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement, and
  • debts, debt collection, and consumer contracts.

Advocates can contact CASL for legal advice or support about a specific case by email or phone. The CASL lawyers are also active on various PovNet lists for advocates and often provide legal support there.

Training

Advocates also receive education, training, and information about resources through CASL. CASL regularly presents sessions at the Law Foundation of BC’s bi-annual Legal Advocacy Training Course (LATC) and the annual Provincial Advocacy Training Conference (PATC).

Current online workshops

CASL is currently presenting a monthly online series of warm referral workshops, spotlighting a different legal service organization or program. Through these workshops, advocates meet staff from different legal service providers and learn when and how to make appropriate referrals to them. Upcoming workshops will spotlight the work of the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC), Disability Alliance BC (DABC), and the BC Workers’ Advisers Office, among others.

Systemic advocacy

CASL also participates in consultations and committees with various Ministries and Tribunals to address some of the operational, policy, and systemic difficulties encountered by advocates in their casework.

Interested in CASL’s services?

If you are a community-based advocate employed by an agency and you would like to learn more about the CASL program, or see if you are eligible for our workshops and/or legal advice services, please email contact@clasbc.net with a brief description of yourself and the work you do. You will receive a response as soon as possible, usually within 3 business days.

[Last updated: October 2023]