What are peace bonds and protection orders?

Last revised March 22, 2024

Peace bonds are made by order of a judge in criminal court.

Existing restraining orders (made under the former Family Relations Act), which prohibit harassment and contact in specified circumstances have now been replaced with Family Law Act protection orders.  They limit contact and communication between family members where there is a safety risk.

Criminal Code peace bonds and Family Law Act protection orders are both types of protection orders.

Protection orders are made by a judge in court or by police to help protect one person from another. A protection order must contain a 'no contact', 'limited contact', or other protective condition to be considered a protection order.

An order is not a protection order if it does not name an individual and if its only condition is to protect property, assets or the community.

Breaches of protection orders under both the Family Law Act and the Child, Family and Community Services Act are now a criminal offence and may be enforced under section 127 of the Criminal Code.

The Protection Order Registry is a confidential database containing all protection orders issued in BC.  Protection orders issued by the courts or the police are sent to the registry and are entered in the database on the same day they are received. The police have 24-hour access to the Protection Order Registry.

For information about no contact orders against an individual, Legal Aid BC has the resource, If you have a no contact order made against you.

Go to Part 2: How to apply for a restraining order