Definitions

182   In this Part and the regulations made under section 248 (1) (d) [general regulation-making powers]:

"at-risk family member" means a person whose safety and security is or is likely at risk from family violence carried out by a family member;

"firearm" has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code;

"residence" means a place where an at-risk family member normally or temporarily resides, including a place that was vacated because of family violence;

"weapon" has the same meaning as in the Criminal Code.

Orders respecting protection

183   (1) An order under this section

(a) may be made on application by a family member claiming to be an at-risk family member, by a person on behalf of an at-risk family member, or on the court's own initiative, and

(b) need not be made in conjunction with any other proceeding or claim for relief under this Act.

(2) A court may make an order against a family member for the protection of another family member if the court determines that

(a) family violence is likely to occur, and

(b) the other family member is an at-risk family member.

(3) An order under subsection (2) may include one or more of the following:

(a) a provision restraining the family member from

(i) directly or indirectly communicating with or contacting the at-risk family member or a specified person,

(ii) attending at, nearing or entering a place regularly attended by the at-risk family member, including the residence, property, business, school or place of employment of the at-risk family member, even if the family member owns the place, or has a right to possess the place,

(iii) following the at-risk family member,

(iv) possessing a weapon, a firearm or a specified object, or

(v) possessing a licence, registration certificate, authorization or other document relating to a weapon or firearm;

(b) limits on the family member in communicating with or contacting the at-risk family member, including specifying the manner or means of communication or contact;

(c) directions to a police officer to

(i) remove the family member from the residence immediately or within a specified period of time,

(ii) accompany the family member, the at-risk family member or a specified person to the residence as soon as practicable, or within a specified period of time, to supervise the removal of personal belongings, or

(iii) seize from the family member anything referred to in paragraph (a) (iv) or (v);

(d) a provision requiring the family member to report to the court, or to a person named by the court, at the time and in the manner specified by the court;

(e) any terms or conditions the court considers necessary to

(i) protect the safety and security of the at-risk family member, or

(ii) implement the order.

(4) Unless the court provides otherwise, an order under this section expires one year after the date it is made.

(5) If an order is made under this section at the same time as another order is made under this Act, including an order made under Division 5 [Orders Respecting Conduct] of Part 10, the orders must not be recorded in the same document.

Whether to make protection order

184   (1) In determining whether to make an order under this Part, the court must consider at least the following risk factors:

(a) any history of family violence by the family member against whom the order is to be made;

(b) whether any family violence is repetitive or escalating;

(c) whether any psychological or emotional abuse constitutes, or is evidence of, a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour directed at the at-risk family member;

(d) the current status of the relationship between the family member against whom the order is to be made and the at-risk family member, including any recent separation or intention to separate;

(e) any circumstance of the family member against whom the order is to be made that may increase the risk of family violence by that family member, including substance abuse, employment or financial problems, mental health problems associated with a risk of violence, access to weapons, or a history of violence;

(f) the at-risk family member's perception of risks to the at-risk family member's own safety and security;

(g) any circumstance that may increase the at-risk family member's vulnerability, including pregnancy, age, family circumstances, health or economic dependence.

(2) If family members are seeking orders under this Part against each other, the court must consider whether the order should be made against one person only, taking into account

(a) the history of, and potential for, family violence,

(b) the extent of any injuries or harm suffered, and

(c) the respective vulnerability of the applicants.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the person who initiates a particular incident of family violence is not necessarily the person against whom an order should be made.

(4) The court may make an order under this Part regardless of whether any of the following circumstances exist:

(a) an order for the protection of the at-risk family member has been made previously against the family member against whom an order is to be made, whether or not the family member complied with the order;

(b) the family member against whom the order is to be made is temporarily absent from the residence;

(c) the at-risk family member is temporarily residing in an emergency shelter or other safe place;

(d) criminal charges have been or may be laid against the family member against whom the order is to be made;

(e) the at-risk family member has a history of returning to the residence and of living with the family member against whom the order is to be made after family violence has occurred;

(f) an order under section 225 [orders restricting communications] has been made, respecting the at-risk family member, against the family member against whom the order is to be made.

If child a family member

185   If a child is a family member, the court must consider, in addition to the factors set out in section 184 [whether to make protection order],

(a) whether the child may be exposed to family violence if an order under this Part is not made, and

(b) whether an order under this Part should also be made respecting the child if an order under this Part is made respecting the child's parent or guardian.

Orders without notice

186   (1) An application for an order under this Part may be made without notice.

(2) If an order is made under this Part without notice, the court, on application by the party against whom the order is made, may

(a) set aside the order, or

(b) make an order under section 187 [changing or terminating orders respecting protection].

Changing or terminating orders respecting protection

187   (1) On application by a party, a court may do one or more of the following respecting an order made under this Part:

(a) shorten the term of the order;

(b) extend the term of the order;

(c) otherwise change the order;

(d) terminate the order.

(2) An application under this section must be made before the expiry of the order that is the subject of the application.

(3) Nothing in subsection (2) of this section prohibits a person from making a subsequent application for an order under section 183 [orders respecting protection].

Enforcing orders respecting protection

188   (1) An order made under this Part may not be enforced

(a) by means of any order that may be made under this Act, or

(b) under the Offence Act.

(2) A police officer having reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a person has contravened a term of an order made under this Part may

(a) take action to enforce the order, whether or not there is proof that the order has been served on the person, and

(b) if necessary for the purpose of paragraph (a), use reasonable force.

Conflict between orders

189   (1) In this section, "protection order" means any of the following orders:

(a) an order made under this Part;

(b) an order, made under the Criminal Code, that restricts a person from contacting or communicating with another person;

(c) an order, made by a court in British Columbia or another jurisdiction in Canada, that is similar in nature to an order made under this Part.

(2) If there is a conflict or an inconsistency between a protection order and an order made under a Part of this Act other than this Part, the other order is suspended, to the extent of the conflict or inconsistency, until

(a) either the other order or the protection order is varied in such a way that the conflict or inconsistency is eliminated, or

(b) the protection order is terminated.

Rights not affected by Act

190   The making of an order under this Part does not affect any existing right of action of a person who has been the subject of family violence.

Extraprovincial orders

191   The Enforcement of Canadian Judgments and Decrees Act applies to an order, made by a court in another jurisdiction of Canada, that is similar to an order made under this Part.