Overview
Who Speaks For You If You Can't?
A Representation Agreement (RA) is a legal document under BC's Representation Agreement Act that names a person — your 'representative' — to make healthcare and personal-care decisions for you if you become incapable. It is the BC equivalent of what other provinces call a healthcare directive, living will, or personal directive.
Without an RA, decisions about your medical treatment, where you live, and who can visit you fall to a 'temporary substitute decision-maker' chosen from a list in the Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act. That person may be a spouse, an adult child, or a parent — and it may not be the person you would have chosen. An RA lets you choose.
Our standard $375 agreement is a Section 9 RA — the more powerful of the two types. It allows your representative to consent to or refuse any medical treatment (including life support), choose the care facility you live in, manage your daily personal care, and decide who can visit. You must have full mental capacity at the time you sign a Section 9. If you don't, we can prepare a Section 7 instead, which has a lower capacity threshold but a narrower scope.
An RA covers your body. A Power of Attorney ($375) covers your money. Most adults need both. Bundle them with a will in the Single Full Package ($1,300) and save.
What is included
- Section 9 Representation Agreement under BC's Representation Agreement Act
- Primary representative plus alternate
- Authority over healthcare, personal care, and visitation
- Optional end-of-life instructions (life support, resuscitation, organ donation)
- Religious or cultural care preferences
- Optional monitor appointment to oversee your representative
- Formal signing and witnessing at our office
- Secure storage and digital copies for you, your representative, and your family doctor
What is not included
- Financial or property decisions (you need an Enduring Power of Attorney for those)
- A will (your will only takes effect after death)
- Court applications if a Section 9 isn't possible (we may prepare a Section 7 RA instead)
- Mental Health Act committee applications
The process
Free intake call
20-minute call to confirm capacity, scope, and lock in the $375 flat fee.
Choose your representative
Tell us who you want — plus an alternate — and any specific healthcare wishes you want recorded.
Lawyer drafting
Draft delivered in 5–7 business days. One revision round included.
Sign & distribute
Signed and witnessed at our office. Digital copies to you, your representative, and (recommended) your family doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a Section 7 and a Section 9 Representation Agreement?
A Section 7 RA is the 'standard' agreement designed for adults who may have reduced mental capacity — the threshold for signing is lower. Its scope is narrower: routine healthcare, basic personal care, and minor financial decisions. A Section 9 RA requires full mental capacity to sign but is much more powerful: refusal of life-support, choice of care facility, major medical decisions, and overall control of your personal care. Our standard $375 product is a Section 9.
Can my representative refuse treatment on my behalf?
Yes, under a Section 9 RA. They must follow any specific instructions in your agreement (for example, 'I do not want to be kept on life support if I am in a persistent vegetative state'), and otherwise act in your best interest considering your known beliefs and values. We can include or omit end-of-life instructions based on your wishes.
What is a 'monitor' and do I need one?
A monitor is an optional second person whose job is to keep an eye on your representative — they have the right to ask for information and intervene if your representative is acting improperly. Most clients don't appoint one when they trust their representative completely. We can include or omit one based on your preference.
What if I don't have a Representation Agreement?
Decisions fall to a 'temporary substitute decision-maker' chosen from a fixed statutory list — usually a spouse first, then an adult child, then a parent, and so on. This works fine in simple cases but breaks down when family members disagree, when the legal first choice isn't the person you actually trust, or when the decision is unusual or contested. An RA prevents those problems.
Where should I keep my RA?
We store the original. You should give a copy to your representative, your alternate, and your family doctor. You can also register your RA with the Nidus Personal Planning Registry so hospitals can find it in an emergency — we can help with the registration for an additional $25 disbursement.