Burnaby's courthouse sits beside one of the Lower Mainland's most beautiful lakes — here's the city's legal history and what it means for families separating today.
## Burnaby: The City Without a Downtown
Burnaby was incorporated in 1892, carved out of the lands that surrounded the provincial capital of New Westminster. Its name honours Robert Burnaby, a colonial secretary who explored the area in 1859 alongside Colonel Richard Moody of the Royal Engineers. Burnaby's early identity was shaped almost entirely by its relationship with its neighbours — it was the suburb before suburbs existed, providing farmland, timber, and residential space for workers employed in New Westminster and, eventually, Vancouver.
For most of its history, Burnaby had no dedicated courthouse. Legal matters of substance were handled at the New Westminster Courthouse on Carnarvon Street — the same building that serves as the BC Supreme Court registry for Burnaby family law matters today. The New Westminster courthouse has operated continuously since the 1860s, and Burnaby's most significant civil and family matters have been argued there for over a century.
The Burnaby Provincial Court at 6400 Deer Lake Avenue — near Deer Lake Park, one of the Lower Mainland's most tranquil public spaces — opened in the latter half of the 20th century as Burnaby's population grew. The courthouse serves Provincial Court family matters including protection orders, child support applications, and CFCSA proceedings, alongside criminal matters.
## Burnaby's Family Law Landscape in 2026
Burnaby is Metro Vancouver's third-largest city and one of its most densely populated. Its residential neighbourhoods — Metrotown's towers, Brentwood's new condominiums, Burnaby Heights character homes, and the forested slopes of Burnaby Mountain — present a diverse range of family property situations.
Key family law issues for Burnaby families include:
- Strata property division: Burnaby has a large number of strata-titled properties; dividing a condo requires understanding strata fees, special levies, depreciation reports, and market value
- Pension and RRSP division: Burnaby has a large public sector workforce (SFU, BCGEU members, healthcare workers at Burnaby Hospital) with significant defined benefit pension entitlements accumulated during long relationships
- Tech sector income: Burnaby's Brentwood and Willingdon areas host major tech employers; stock compensation, RSUs, and bonuses require careful income analysis for both support and property division
- High-density redevelopment: Burnaby's ongoing densification means some properties have been assigned rezoning uplift value — how that uplift is treated in separation can be complex
## Sea to Sky Law's Connection to Burnaby
Our Sapperton Head Office in New Westminster directly borders Burnaby — you can reach Burnaby clients quickly by phone or video. The SkyTrain Expo Line connects Burnaby's Metrotown, Patterson, Joyce, and Edmonds stations directly to Sapperton Station, making our office a convenient choice for Burnaby families appearing at New Westminster's Supreme Court.
Andrew Liggett has served Burnaby clients since 1991 — providing divorce, custody, estate planning, and mediation services throughout the city.
Burnaby Provincial Court is at 6400 Deer Lake Avenue. BC Supreme Court family matters for Burnaby — including divorce, property division, and spousal support — are heard at the New Westminster Law Courts on Carnarvon Street, minutes from Sea to Sky Law's Sapperton office.
A Burnaby strata condo is family property subject to equal division under the Family Law Act. The fair market value (not the purchase price) is used. Strata fees, special levies, and the building's depreciation report all affect net value. We work with appraisers familiar with Burnaby's strata market.
Pensions earned during the relationship are family property. You can offset your pension against other assets (e.g., the family home) or arrange a direct pension transfer under the Pension Benefits Standards Act. We work with pension actuaries to calculate the precise commuted value.
Yes — our Head Office in Sapperton, New Westminster directly borders Burnaby. Our Sapperton address is close to Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, and Burnaby Heights.