LAO Newsroom
LAO Newsroom
Legal Aid Ontario response to Auditor General report
Posted on: Tuesday, December 6, 2011
To service providers,
Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) would like to highlight some of the insights and recommendations from the 2011 Auditor General’s report on Legal Aid Ontario. The report is based on the results of the Auditor General’s value for money audit of LAO, conducted earlier this year.
LAO agrees with the recommendations in the Auditor General’s report and welcomes his observation that LAO has a well defined, long-term strategy and the organization “has moved to increase access to legal aid services beyond the issuing of certificates, such as through expanded use of duty counsel available at courthouses and through its new call centre.” This assessment regarding the administrative and service delivery improvements LAO has implemented reflects the support LAO has received from the justice community and the hard work of LAO employees.
Value for money audits are an important public service mechanism that foster accountability for the use of public funds, and help inform the government and the taxpayers of Ontario of the performance of publicly funded organizations and their programs.
In this year’s report, the Auditor General makes recommendations in the following areas:
- Communications with the legislature and the public of LAO strategic priorities and success in achieving its mandate
- Ensuring high-quality legal aid services from private bar lawyers acting on behalf of legal aid clients
- Billing and payment processes
- Client financial eligibility
- The clinic structure
- Alternative ways to meet the legal needs of low-income individuals
References
2011 Auditor General Annual Report - Entire report
2011 Auditor General Annual Report - Chapter 3 Section 3.09: Legal Aid Ontario
Questions?
If you have any questions or require more information please contact:
Kristian Justesen
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Phone: 416-979-2352 ext. 4782
Email: justesk@lao.on.ca or media@lao.on.ca
