The age of majority in BC is 19. A child in BC can choose to leave home before they turn 19.
Their parent has a responsibility to financially support their child until they turn 19.
Leaving without the consent of your parents before the age of 19 can have several implications:
- Your parents could potentially call the police and the police may decide to return you to your parents or report your location to them
- You may no longer be entitled to the financial support from your parents (unless there was family violence or the circumstances were intolerable)
- You may be able to get social assistance if there have been reasonable efforts to have your parent or guardian financially support you
Each circumstance is different. Try contacting the Child and Youth Legal Centre to see if you qualify to get help from one of their lawyers.
To find out more about child support if a child leaves home, see:
Updated on 29 April 2025