Right to a Lawyer

If you’re a youth in BC who’s been arrested, you have the right to speak to a lawyer. You also have rights under the Youth Criminal Justice Act to talk to your parents or another trusted adult, and to have them along with a lawyer in the room with you if you choose to talk to police. 

To contact a free lawyer, call Legal Aid at 604-408-2172 (Greater Vancouver) or 1-866-577-2525 (elsewhere in BC).

Get a Lawyer (non criminal)

The Child & Youth Legal Centre can provide legal advice, information, and representation for children and youth in a number of areas including child protection, family law, and human rights. Call: 778-657-5544 or toll free at 1-877-462-0037

Can be sentenced as an adult

If you are 14 or older and you are found guilty of a serious crime the judge can give you an adult sentence.

Join the Military with Parent/Guardian Consent

Most of the time you have to be at least 17 to join the military but some 16 year olds may be eligible to enroll as an Officer. Either way you'll need parent/Guardian consent. 

Apply for an Adult Passport

You must be at least 16 years old to apply for an adult passport. You can find the application here.

Get Married with Parent/Guardian Permission

If you are 16, 17 or 18 you’ll need parent or guardian permission to get married. Under 16, a judge will have to give an order saying it's okay for you to get married. 

Register for List of Future Votes

The minimum age Canadian citizens can vote in municipal, provincial or federal elections is 18. If you are 16 or 17 you can register on the List of Future Voters which will automatically register you to vote when you turn 18. You can learn more about registering to the Future Voter list at Elections BC.
 

Consent to Sexual Activity

People must generally be at least 16 to be able to legally agree to sexual activity. But if 16 or 17 years old, you can only consent to sexual activity if the other person is not in a position of authority or trust and there is no exploitation or dependency.
 

Babysitting

There is no law setting out the minimum age for babysitting in BC. However, babysitting courses are typically only offered to children who are at least 11 years old. There is also a BC Supreme Court case which stated that children under 10 should not be left unsupervised.