Earlier this summer, Legal Aid Alberta almost became defunct after a dispute over an updated governance agreement.
On July 2nd, Legal Aid released a statement stating that if a new governance agreement hadn't been reached by July 9th, they would no longer be able to offer their services.
Then, on July 5th, Legal Aid announced that the governance agreement that was originally going to expire on June 30th was extended to September 5th to allow for negotiations to continue so Legal Aid could still exist independently from the government and help disadvantaged Albertans.
During that time, the parties worked together to create a new agreement, which was announced on September 4th.
This new governance agreement comes into effect on September 6th and will be in place until September 5th, 2029, ensuring that Albertans have access to a stable legal aid system that continues to meet the needs of those needing legal help.
By signing the new agreement, the Alberta government is showing their commitment to ensuring the justice system is available for all Albertans and recognizing the importance of legal aid for Albertans who have financial barriers preventing them from accessing legal supports.
This new agreement helps to ensure that access to justice in the province is available to everyone
"Access to justice is a fundamental right for all Albertans. Key to this is an independent legal aid system and this agreement specifically codifies these values. We continue to respect that the Government of Alberta has a critical role to ensure fiscal responsibility. Strengthening legal aid will include ongoing conversations that involve the parties to this agreement and our funders, stakeholders and partners, with a commitment to supporting the legal needs of Albertans," explained Eyan Callioux, KC, Board Chair with Legal Aid Alberta in a media release on September 4th.
In the September 4th release, the Alberta government said they will work with and consult Legal Aid Alberta, the Law Society of Alberta, and other members of the justice system to help ensure that decisions regarding the future direction of legal aid services in Alberta are data-driven and guided with the help of vulnerable Albertans.
The Government of Alberta, the Alberta Law Foundations, and the Federal government all fund legal aid in Alberta, and Legal Aid Alberta's 2024-2025 grant is budgeted at $110 million.
"The provision of legal aid services in Alberta is a shared commitment, and one that all the groups involved take very seriously. Our goal is to ensure the sustainability and fiscal accountability of legal aid for all Albertans now and into the future, and this new agreement puts us on the right track," said the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mickey Amery in the media release from September 4th.