Guide
Courts & Court Records in British Columbia
BC has three court levels: the Provincial Court, the Supreme Court of British Columbia (trial-level superior court), and the Court of Appeal. Court Services Online (linked below) is the province's official portal for searching civil and criminal court files; written judgments are free on CanLII's BC collection.
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Vital Records: Restricted, With a Genealogy Door
The BC Vital Statistics Agency issues birth, death, and marriage certificates, restricted to the person named and immediate family. Older registrations open for genealogy through the BC Archives after set waiting periods.
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Land, Property & Business Records
Land titles are held by the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA), and property values by BC Assessment, both linked below and both charge for detailed searches. Company searches run through BC Registries.
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Records Nobody Publishes
Criminal records are not public anywhere in Canada, checks go through police services with the subject’s consent. For unpublished government records, British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) gives anyone the right to file an access request with a provincial or municipal body, the provincial cousin of the federal ATIP process described in our Canada Public Records guide.
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Verified Resources (9 links)
External links verified live. Broken or unreachable sites have been removed. All external sites open in a new tab.
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British Columbia Records: Quick Answers
How do I look up a BC court case?
Use Court Services Online, the province's official court search, for civil and criminal files; judgments are free on CanLII.
Can I search who owns a property in BC?
Yes, through the LTSA's land title system, which charges per-search fees. BC Assessment shows assessed values.
Are BC birth records public?
No. Certificates are restricted to the person and close family; historical records open through the BC Archives for genealogy.