We’re here to help you navigate life’s pivotal moments with confidence and clarity. We listen and care about your concerns, ensuring that you feel supported every step of the way. We uphold the highest ethical standards in everything we do, always working to improve our quality and efficiency. Our commitment to community is demonstrated through good work, volunteerism, and social responsibility.
How we can help
- Wills and Estates Having a Will is the basis for a good estate plan. Save time, money, and grief by planning ahead. If you haven’t got a Will or your Will is old, come in and see us; you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get one of life’s most important documents done.
- Personal Planning Decisions about our health care can be some of the toughest we need to make. Representation Agreements and Advance Directives help to ensure your wishes about your health are followed when you’re not able to express them yourself. Not only do these documents offer you peace of mind, but they also help your loved ones make decisions on your behalf.
- Powers of Attorney Making a Power of Attorney means your legal and financial affairs can be taken care of when you’re not able to do it yourself. Whether you’re planning an extended international trip or anticipating medical issues that may prevent you from handling your own affairs, a Power of Attorney can be tailor-made to meet your current and future needs.
- Real Estate Transactions With extensive experience in the real estate world, we ensure your refinance, purchase, or sale goes smoothly and every detail is attended to. We can also help you with ownership changes, family transfers, easements and covenants.
- Notarizations Throughout life, various important documents require notarization to ensure their authenticity and legal validity. Having these documents notarized by a professional provides peace of mind and prevents potential legal issues. Examples of documents suited to this service are ICBC Statutory Declarations, Travel Letters for Minors, Proof of Life documents, etc.
For simple notarizations, please drop by the office Mondays and Wednesdays from 11am – 12pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm – 3pm. These hours are dedicated to our walk in clients, ensuring we can attend to your matter quickly.
For out-of-office or out-of-province real estate transactions, oil leases, or other more complicated matters, please call for an appointment.
FAQs
- What ID do I need to bring with me? Anytime you see a Notary, you will need two pieces of valid ID, with at least one being a photo ID (e.g., driver’s licence, care card, firearms licence). If you are purchasing real estate or refinancing a property, you will also need to bring proof of your SIN (e.g., SIN card, T4, Notice of Assessment, or any official document that shows your name and entire SIN).
- Why do you need my SIN? Notaries are required by law to gather this information under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA).
- I want to make a will, what do I do? We’d love to help you create a new Will. Call the office to book an instruction appointment. Expect to spend about 45 minutes to an hour with Kate. Bring your ID, and the full legal names and addresses of anyone you are naming as Executors or Guardians of minor children. After drafting your documents and having you review them, we’ll schedule a second short appointment to sign.
- I have an old Will and just want to make a few changes. Can you make me a codicil? No, codicils can be very problematic. If you need to make changes to your Will, it’s best to create a new one.
- Who else should come to my Will or Personal Planning appointment? If you and a partner are making Wills and other Personal Planning documents, you should attend together. Generally, anyone else should leave for the duration of our meeting.
- Will you notarize home-drafted wills (or will kits)? No, we do not notarize home-drafted Wills, Representation Agreements or Powers of Attorney.
- Can you notarize my separation agreement? No, we do not notarize separation agreements. BC Notaries do not practice any family law, which includes notarizing separation agreements.
- Can I bring children to my appointment? Our office is accessible and welcoming to everyone. If your kids will be with you, they can expect to find a fun basket of toys to keep them busy. However, please be aware that some topics discussed during our estate planning interview may not be suitable for small ears and do require some concentration. You may want to consider arranging for childcare during your appointment.