Which court is authorized to grant interim orders?

The British Columbia Supreme Court (BCSC) is authorized to grant interim orders in family law cases. Interim orders are temporary reliefs or decisions made by a court while the main case is still pending. These can include matters such as temporary custody arrangements, spousal support, or protection orders.

The BCSC is the superior court of the province, and it has the jurisdiction to handle complex family law issues and provide equitable solutions, which may require these types of temporary orders to ensure that parties are treated fairly and that rights are preserved until a final decision is made.

While other court options may handle specific aspects of family law or related matters, they do not have the same authority as the BCSC to grant interim orders in all circumstances. For example, while Provincial Court can handle child protection and custody issues, its scope for interim orders is more limited compared to the superior court. Small Claims Court deals with civil disputes involving monetary claims below a certain threshold and generally does not deal with family law matters. The Family Court of Canada focuses on federal matters such as child support and custody, but it doesn't cover all familial issues in the same comprehensive capacity as the BCSC.