Legislative Assembly Administration departments and staff provide professional non-partisan services to support the democratic institution of Parliament and its Members through procedural advice, administrative support, and information services.
Each department has its own internal page on the Dome intranet that contains detailed information and updates about services.
As the Legislative Assembly’s most senior official, the Speaker serves as the impartial presiding officer. The provincial Constitution Act provides for the election of the Speaker, and describes certain other duties and roles of the position.
The Speaker fulfils procedural and administrative responsibilities related to the Legislative Assembly. In the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker presides over debates, maintains order, and ensures that Members abide by the Standing Orders which govern conduct and procedures in the House. The Speaker chairs the Legislative Assembly Management Committee, the statutory all-party committee that reviews and approves operating policy for the Legislative Assembly and governs the Assembly’s financial affairs, including the review and approval of Vote 1.
As the head of the legislative branch of government, the Speaker also represents the Legislative Assembly in all relations with external organizations and individuals, and serves as the President of the British Columbia Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The Office of the Speaker coordinates protocol duties required of the Speaker or Members for visiting delegations, official visitors, and consular representatives from other jurisdictions, and provides support to the Speaker in the fulfillment of these duties. The Office also provides Members with assistance in addressing a wide range of issues and concerns.
The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly is the chief permanent officer of the Legislative Assembly who reports to the Speaker and the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. The Clerk provides non-partisan procedural advice to the Speaker and all Members of the House and may be consulted at any time regarding procedural and House matters. The Clerk also administers the Oath of Allegiance to duly elected Members and presides over the election of the Speaker.
The Office of the Clerk maintains the records of all parliamentary proceedings and oversees the preparation of the Orders of the Day and Votes and Proceedings, as well as the Journals of the Legislative Assembly, which is the official record of proceedings and decisions. The Office also assists with protocol arrangements for legislative functions and ceremonies, and parliamentary visits.
The Clerk is responsible for management and administrative services within the Assembly and serves as Clerk to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC). In this capacity, the Office of the Clerk is responsible for arranging LAMC meetings, preparing and distributing agendas and supporting materials, preparing and distributing minutes, and responding to inquiries by the Committee and others.
Governance and Corporate Support
The Governance and Corporate Support Unit within the Office of the Clerk houses corporate functions in support of the Legislative Assembly’s operations and good governance practices, including business continuity planning, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, internal audit, corporate communications, and corporate policy.
Legal Services
As head of the Legal Services branch within the Office of the Clerk, the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel is responsible for the provision of in-house legal and legislative drafting services. Legal Services offers comprehensive legal advice and services to the House as an institution, as well as to the Speaker, the Legislative Assembly Management Committee, Members, caucuses, parliamentary committees, the Clerk, and the Legislative Assembly Administration. Legislative drafting services are available to Members for the preparation of Private Members’ Bills and motions to amend all Bills before the House. The Legislative Assembly’s privacy management and accountability program is also housed within Legal Services.
The Clerk is supported by the Clerk’s Leadership Group (the executive team), which consists of the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Chief Information Officer, the Clerk Assistant, Parliamentary Services, the Executive Financial Officer, and the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.
Chief Human Resources Officer
The Chief Human Resources Officer serves as a key strategic adviser within the Legislative Assembly Administration and as the senior human resources leader, providing innovative and strategic human resources support to Legislative Assembly management and staff. The Chief Human Resources Officer also oversees outsourced human resources services and training for Members of the Legislative Assembly in support of the operations of constituency offices, caucuses, and legislative offices.
Chief Information Officer
The Chief Information Officer provides vision and leadership for developing and implementing information technology and information management solutions and initiatives that manage the Legislative Assembly’s digital information infrastructure, governance, and assets that support the Assembly’s ability to achieve its goals. The Chief Information Officer oversees the Information Technology Department, Hansard Services, and the Legislative Library.
Clerk Assistant, Parliamentary Services
The Clerk Assistant, Parliamentary Services is responsible for overseeing the provision of core parliamentary services and procedural supports to Members of the Legislative Assembly. The Clerk Assistant oversees Client Services, the Parliamentary Committees Office, the Parliamentary Education Office, and key functions within the Office of the Clerk, including parliamentary documents, election readiness and transition supports for Members, and governance and corporate support. The Clerk Assistant, Parliamentary Services also serves as a senior Table Officer.
Executive Financial Officer
The Executive Financial Officer oversees the Financial Services and the Precinct Services departments. The Executive Financial Officer provides authoritative advice, guidance, and mentorship on key financial management, capital development, and related organizational issues to the Legislative Assembly’s governance bodies, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, the Clerk’s Leadership Group, and departmental leadership. In this senior strategic advisory role, the Executive Financial Officer guides short, medium, and long-term financial and related risk management/mitigation decisions and leads the creation of innovative and proactive fiscal and capital planning approaches.
Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
The Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel is responsible for providing legal and procedural advice and services to the Speaker and other Presiding Officers, Members, parliamentary committees, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and Legislative Assembly Administration departments. The Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel is also a senior Table Officer.
Sergeant-at-Arms
The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for the security of the Parliament Buildings and Legislative Precinct to ensure the House, its committees, and Members are able to conduct their business without disturbance or interruption. The Sergeant-at-Arms has a ceremonial role as well, which includes carrying the mace in and out of the Chamber during daily sittings and the black rod when accompanying the Lieutenant Governor.
Client Services was established as a new department of the Legislative Assembly Administration in January 2023. Since its operational launch in April 2024, the department has been driving a renewed philosophy and posture of service delivery within the Administration to key client groups: Members of the Legislative Assembly, caucus staff, and constituency office staff. The department delivers a single window service delivery model supported by the Client Care Team. Client Services also manages the constituency office leasing portfolio.
Financial Services is responsible for providing financial management and administrative support to the Members of the Legislative Assembly, Assembly departments, caucuses, and constituency offices. Financial Services processes Members’ travel claims, administers and pays Members’ allowances, and processes and pays invoices and other expenses. Financial Services also performs full-service accounting for the Assembly and constituency offices, communicates and advises on financial policies and procedures, and prepares internal and external financial reporting, including the quarterly public disclosure of Members’ compensation and travel and constituency office expenses.
Financial Services also assesses and provides guidance on controls and processes, and manages the Assembly’s budget preparation.
Hansard Services publishes official reports and broadcasts of Legislative Assembly and parliamentary committee proceedings, including providing live television coverage and webcast services for all proceedings, and producing comprehensive, easily accessible indexes to all published Hansard materials.
The Human Resource Operations department provides human resource advisory services (e.g., employment contracts, disability management) and administers payroll and benefits services, including providing payroll-related services and advice to Members, their constituency staff, caucus staff, and Assembly staff as well as processing, monitoring, and reporting of the Legislative Assembly’s payroll, leave, benefits, and pension transactions in compliance with all laws.
The Information Technology Department (ITD) is responsible for providing technology and support services to Members, their legislative and constituency offices, and Assembly staff. This includes support for computer and hardware, network, wireless, voice, and data communications matters. Members and staff with specific technology-related projects can also contact ITD for assistance if required. It also includes projects such as identifying and installing software and hardware.
ITD Service Desk
Staff from the ITD Service Desk are available to assist with problems related to computer hardware and software, as well as network issues. The Service Desk can be contacted by phone or email, and ITD staff have tools available to remotely access computers to speed the resolution of problems. On-site assistance is available 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and until adjournment on sitting days.
The Legislative Library provides confidential, non-partisan information and research services to Members and their staff, including constituency office staff. Every year, librarians answer thousands of questions from Members, caucus staff, and constituency staff about legislation, government programs, current events, policy issues, local history, demographics, financial information, and more. Reference librarians are trained professionals who provide fast, confidential, and authoritative information on any topic. The Legislative Library also maintains an archival collection of MLA papers.
The Library is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, or until adjournment on sitting days. Requests for Library services can be made in person or by contacting the Library Reference Desk.
Legislative Assembly Protective Services
Legislative Assembly Protective Services (LAPS) ensures the safety and security of Members, staff, and the public within the Legislative Precinct. 24-hour security patrols, parking, card-lock access, and emergency first aid services also fall under the purview of LAPS.
Chamber Services
The Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms supports the Sergeant-at-Arms in carrying out duties pertaining to the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. This includes custody of the Chamber and its furnishings, custody of bills prior to introduction, the distribution of parliamentary documents, and providing Chamber attendants and gallery staff during House sittings.
MLA Safety Program
Formed in January 2022, the MLA Safety Program provides dedicated resources for MLAs both on and off-Precinct. These services include threat assessment investigations, risk assessments related to MLA-hosted or attended events and official travel, ongoing lifecycle management of constituency office security systems, and awareness and education sessions for MLAs and their constituency office staff.
The Parliamentary Committees Office provides non-partisan procedural advice and research services, and administrative and operational support to parliamentary committees appointed by the Legislative Assembly. The Office also provides procedural, operational, communications, and research services to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, other presiding officers, and Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Each parliamentary committee is assigned a Clerk who is the committee’s principal coordinator and adviser regarding parliamentary procedure, committee operations, and public consultation practices.
Each parliamentary committee is assisted by research staff who prepare any necessary backgrounders, briefing notes, and summaries of submissions, as well as administrative staff who facilitate committee operations and logistics such as meeting bookings and travel arrangements.
The Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) provides Members, constituency offices, students, educators, and the public with parliamentary education and outreach services and resources. The Office manages the Parliamentary Tour Program (including notifying the Member when a school group from their riding is visiting), various educational programs, and the Precinct Use program. The Parliamentary Gift Shop and Educational Resource Program is also operated through PEO.
PEO also manages the B.C. Legislative Internship Program, the B.C. Teachers’ Institute on Parliamentary Democracy, and special one-day events for visiting post-secondary classes. Members are often invited to present and participate in these educational programs. PEO also informs Members when their constituents are selected to participate in the B.C. Legislative Internship Program and the B.C. Teachers’ Institute on Parliamentary Democracy.
Precinct Services consolidates Capital Planning and Development, Legislative Facility Services, the Parliamentary Dining Room, and Procurement for the Legislative Assembly Administration, supporting a centralized approach to coordinating these areas.
Capital Planning and Development
Capital Planning and Development oversees the planning and execution of capital facility projects in support of the Legislative Assembly’s long-term capital plan and related planning and work. The department also provides oversight, training, and support to Assembly Administration departments in procurement and contract management.
Legislative Facility Services
Legislative Facility Services is responsible for property management, including all building and grounds maintenance, repairs, improvements, and cleaning duties. Facility Services also assists building occupants with a wide range of services, such as office moves and maintenance.
Parliamentary Dining Room
The Parliamentary Dining Room services Members, staff, and the public. For information on hours, please visit the following page.