The following is a summary of the changes. For full details, please refer to the applicable tariff.
Family Tariff
General preparation — Increased from 25 to 35 hours for Family contracts.
Indigenous client support — New tariff item.
- Billable up to two hours for providing services related to addressing the needs of Indigenous clients and/or their children, and includes both legal and collateral issues.
Extended Family Services (EFS) — Reinstated authorization of Extended Family Services.
- You may apply for EFS if the time specified on your representation contract, including the additional 10 hours of general preparation, is insufficient to resolve the primary legal issues.
- Clarified that if you request EFS and your contract is near the service stop date, LSS may adjust your stop date if EFS is approved.
- Please remember to submit your EFS authorization requests in a timely manner. You must ensure your invoices are up to date and attach an EFS opinion letter and relevant court orders to your authorization request. LSS will strive to review your EFS request as quickly as possible.
CFCSA Tariff
Preparation for section 54.01 or CCO hearing & Additional preparation for lengthy hearings
- Revised these two items to clarify that they are also billable for preparing for a Permanent Transfer of Custody to someone other than a parent before a Continuing Custody Order (s. 54.01).
- Revised wording to clarify that the Additional preparation for lengthy hearings item is available for each application for a contested Temporary Custody Order, Permanent Transfer of Custody Order before Continuing Custody Order (s. 54.01), or Continuing Custody Order.
Preparation for mediation and/or consensual dispute resolution & Attendance for mediation and/or consensual dispute resolution
- Clarified that Family Case Planning Conferences (FCPC) held at court, a new initiative of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, are considered a collaborative process, not a court process. Therefore, preparation for and attendance at an FCPC at court is billable as mediation and/or consensual dispute resolution, not as court attendance.
Indigenous client support — New tariff item.
- Billable up to two hours for providing services related to addressing the needs of Indigenous clients and/or their children, and includes both legal and collateral issues.
Extended CFCSA Services (ECS)
- Clarified that if you request ECS and your contract is near the service stop date, LSS may adjust your stop date if ECS is approved.
Disbursements Tariff
Medical records, reports, and testimony — Updated to reflect the new Doctors of BC rates that increased by two percent on April 1, 2018.
If you have any questions, please contact lawyer.support@lss.bc.ca.