A British Columbia legal instrument, similar in function to a power of attorney for personal care, that lets an adult appoint a representative to make health-care, personal-care, and routine financial decisions if the adult becomes incapable. BC recognizes two main types: section 7 agreements, available to adults who may not meet the higher capacity threshold and covering routine matters and many health-care decisions, and section 9 agreements, which require greater capacity and allow broader authority, including decisions about life-support treatment.
Validity requires capacity, a written and signed document, and proper witnessing; witnesses must be at least 19 and cannot include the representative, the adult's spouse, or others with a vested interest. The representation agreement illustrates how personal-care planning instruments differ across provinces.