Registration - Organization

Community Legal Assistance Society / Jacqueline Mendes, Executive Director

Registration Information

Organization name: Community Legal Assistance Society
Senior Officer Name: Jacqueline Mendes, Executive Director
Initial registration start date: 2020-05-04
Registration status: Active
Projected end date: No date provided
Registration number: 7344-3822

Associated Lobbying Activity Reports

Total number of Lobbying Activity Reports: 21

Lobbying Activity Reports - last 6 months: 14

Version 24 of 24 (2025-04-01 to present)

Registration versions:

Version 24 of 24 (2025-04-01 to present)

Lobbying Information

Subject Matter of the Lobbying Activities

Details Regarding the Identified Subject Matter

Will any of the lobbyists listed within this registration arrange a meeting between a public office holder and any other individual for the purpose of attempting to influence any of the matters listed below:

Yes

Specific Topics of Lobbying Communications	Intended Outcomes	Associated Subject Matters
Advocacy regarding changes to the Human Rights Code, expressly adding the ground of "social condition" to the Code, eliminate the definition of "age" in the Code, abolish the exemption for shared accommodations, and allow a representative to advance a human rights complaint in the event a complainant dies.	Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy, directive or guideline of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	Children and Families, Housing, Human Rights, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Poverty
Advocacy regarding changes to the Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship Act and associated Regulations in order to stop detentions without authorization or review, remove deemed consent provisions, and enhance fair review hearing for people detained under the Mental Health Act living in British Columbia.	Development of any legislative proposal by the government of British Columbia, a Provincial entity or a member of the Legislative Assembly Introduction, amendment, passage or defeat of any Bill or resolution in or before the Legislative Assembly Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy, directive or guideline of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	Health, Hospitals, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Mental Health and Addictions
Advocacy regarding changes to the Residential Tenancy Act, Residential Tenancy Regulation, and Residential Tenancy Branch dispute resolution process in order to enhance legal protections for residential tenants living in British Columbia.	Development of any legislative proposal by the government of British Columbia, a Provincial entity or a member of the Legislative Assembly Introduction, amendment, passage or defeat of any Bill or resolution in or before the Legislative Assembly Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation	COVID-19, Housing
Advocacy regarding changes to the Workers Compensation Act and Regulations and WorkSafeBC and Workers Compensation Board policies and processes.	Development of any legislative proposal by the government of British Columbia, a Provincial entity or a member of the Legislative Assembly Introduction, amendment, passage or defeat of any Bill or resolution in or before the Legislative Assembly Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation	COVID-19, Employment and Training, Labour/Labour Relations, Poverty
Ask government to oversee the rationalization and simplification of the decision-making process of the Workers Compensation Board, particularly with respect to permanent disability awards.	Development, establishment, amendment or termination of any program, policy, directive or guideline of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	Labour/Labour Relations
Policy and program recommendations regarding BC government legislation and funding, specifically in the area of reforming the Mental Health Act, establishing an Independent Rights Advice Service for people involuntarily detained under the MHA or the Criminal Code, improved processes at the Residential Tenancy Branch and changes to the Residential Tenancy Act, improved funding of the BC Human Rights Tribunal.	Development of any legislative proposal by the government of British Columbia, a Provincial entity or a member of the Legislative Assembly Introduction, amendment, passage or defeat of any Bill or resolution in or before the Legislative Assembly Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation Awarding, amendment or termination of any contract, grant or financial benefit by or on behalf of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	Human Rights
Seeking additional funding for retaining lawyers for representation for those who have been involuntarily detained pursuant to the BC Mental Health Act or to those subject to the Mental Disorder Provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada from the Legal Services Society.	Awarding, amendment or termination of any contract, grant or financial benefit by or on behalf of the government of British Columbia or a Provincial entity	COVID-19, Mental Health and Addictions

BC Ministries/Provincial Entities

Attorney General
British Columbia Housing Management Commission
Finance
Fraser Health Authority
Health
Health Employers Association of British Columbia
Housing and Municipal Affairs
Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
Justice Institute of British Columbia
Labour
Legal Services Society
Member(s) of the BC Legislative Assembly
Minister of State for Child Care and Children and Youth with Support Needs
Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services
Northern Health Authority
Provincial Health Services Authority
Provincial Rental Housing Corporation
Public Safety and Solicitor General
Social Development and Poverty Reduction
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Vancouver Island Health Authority
WorkSafeBC

Ministries/Provincial Entities added through a Lobbying Activity Report

Community, Sport and Cultural Development
Office of the Premier

Organization Details

Senior Officer Name and Position during the Period of this Registration

Jacqueline Mendes, Executive Director

Organization Contact Information

Community Legal Assistance Society

Address:
Suite 300 1140 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4G1
Canada

Telephone number: 604-685-3425 Ext. 350
Fax number: 604-685-7611

Description of Activities

The objects of the Community Legal Services Society are to: (a) To promote and encourage comprehensive legal services; (b) To set up, operate and administer programs of legal assistance and legal education to persons of low income in the Province of British Columbia and more particularly in the Greater Vancouver area; (c) To promote and encourage research and law reform in relation to the legal problems of low income groups.

Gifts or benefits provided by the organization

Gifts or Benefits Provided to Public Officer Holders
Name	Gift or Benefit Description	Circumstance	Date Promised	Value Promised	Date Given	Value Given
No Records

Contributors to the Lobbying Activity

No person or organization contributed over $1000CDN, within the preceding 12 months, toward the lobbying activity on behalf of the organization that has a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activity.

Government Funding in the Last 12 Months

Requested Government Funding

Funding Request made to:	Funding Requested	Date Requested
Attorney General	$532,000.00	2024-04-03
Attorney General	$523,000.00	2024-08-30
Attorney General	$349,000.00	2024-10-25
Attorney General	$163,000.00	2025-01-25
Attorney General	$532,000.00	2025-03-24
Attorney General	$532,000.00	2025-04-01
Department of Justice Canada	$50,531.00	2024-08-30
Department of Justice Canada	$31,059.00	2025-03-19
Department of Justice Canada	$123,580.00	2025-04-30
Department of Justice Canada	$113,000.00	2025-04-30
Legal Services Society	$1,934,000.00	2025-03-25
Legal Services Society	$122,958.33	2025-04-01
Public Safety and Solicitor General	$174,381.27	2025-04-30

View all requested government funding history

Received Government Funding

The Received Government Funding table below is not intended to be additive. Adding all of the entries together does not necessarily provide an accurate sum of all government funding received. There may be redundancy (reporting of the same funding more than once) caused by overlap in the "Date/Period Received" between 2 or more entries.

Source of Government Funding	Funding Received	Date/Period Received
Attorney General	$248,000.00	2024-04-01 to 2026-03-31
Attorney General	$1,567,000.00	2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31
Attorney General	$532,000.00	2025-04-01 to 2025-07-25
Department of Justice Canada	$27,953.00	2025-03-26
Department of Justice Canada	$113,000.00	2025-04-01 to 2025-07-31
Department of Justice Canada	$123,580.00	2025-04-01 to 2025-10-31
Legal Services Society	$2,348,000.00	2023-04-01 to 2026-03-31
Legal Services Society	$1,475,500.00	2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31
Legal Services Society	$1,934,000.00	2025-03-25
Legal Services Society	$122,958.33	2025-04-01 to 2025-04-30

View all received government funding history

Other Entities (working together for the purposes of lobbying) Information

Community Legal Assistance Society is not working together with any other entity for the purpose of lobbying.

Affiliates with a Direct Interest in the Outcome

Community Legal Assistance Society does not have any affiliates that could have a direct interest in the outcome of the lobbying activities

Other Persons or Organizations with Direct Interests

The activities of Community Legal Assistance Society are not controlled or directed by another person or organization with a direct interest in the outcome of this undertaking.

Lobbyists Details

Lobbyists Employed by this Organization

Lobbyist

Contributions

Dante Abbey
Subscribes to a Code of Conduct: No
Former Public Office Holder in BC: No