What's New
The Smarter and stronger Justice Act bill
The provincial government introduced for first reading, an omnibus justice bill (The Smarter and Stronger Justice Act bill) containing provisions that will amend the current Legal Aid Services Act, 1998.
- We are pleased that the new legislation recognizes the important role independent community clinics continue to play in providing crucial poverty law services to Ontario’s most vulnerable communities.
- We are also pleased to hear that further budget reductions to legal aid have been taken off the table.
- It is now time for the government and Legal Aid Ontario to begin work on repairing the damage done by this year’s legal aid budget cuts.
“We are very pleased that Attorney General Downey continues to recognize the foundational role community legal clinics play in creating a strong Ontario justice system that protects vulnerable members of our communities and provides them with the legal services they need. This new legislation will improve the delivery of Legal Aid services in Ontario while ensuring that independent community legal clinics continue to work closely with the communities they serve in identifying their needs and in providing poverty law services to their clients.”
Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario (ACLCO) – Trudy McCormick, Co-Chair (Executive Director, Northwest Community Legal Clinic) & Gary Newhouse, Co-Chair (Board Member, Kensington-Bellwoods Community Legal Services)