Ten Things You Should Know About British Columbia’s New Limitation Act

On October 2, 2012, the Government of British Columbia announced that the province’s new Limitation Act (Bill 34) (New Act) will come into force on June 1, 2013.¹ The New Act will bring about important changes to the calculation of limitation periods in the province. Here are 10 things you should know.

1. The basic limitation period for most claims will be shortened to two years

The New Act shortens the basic limitation period to two years for most claims, including claims against hospitals. Under the current Limitation Act (Current Act), the basic limitation period for most claims ranges from two to 10 years.

Lawyers and their clients will need to be mindful of the shorter timeframe for bringing a claim, as the shortened basic limitation period will require that plaintiffs act promptly once a claim is discovered. Potential defendants will benefit from increased certainty due to shortened and more unified time limits.