News

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is covering the cost of a lawyer for those whose matters are more than twelve months old and have had their cases adjourned to Judge‑Led Intensive Case Management Court (JICMC). The JICMC was set up to address the large backlog of cases resulting from the COVID‑19 pandemic. Accused people whose matters…

Like so many Canadians, I continue to grapple with the enormity of the repeated discoveries of remains at the sites of former Residential Schools across Canada. Legal Aid Ontario believes it is important to acknowledge, mourn and honour the precious lives that have been lost to the residential school system and the continued impacts this…

It’s time to send in your nominations for the Sidney B. Linden Award! The deadline for submission is Friday, November 12, 2021, at 5 p.m. The award is named after Justice Sidney B. Linden, the first chair of Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), who has been involved with legal aid for over 35 years. LAO created the Sidney B….

Canadians benefit from outstanding social services like universal healthcare, social assistance and employment insurance. But, few know about our public legal services. We made a day to change that. The first National Duty Counsel Day, on October 27, 2021, aims to raise awareness about duty counsel lawyers whose work ensures that everyone is equal…

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) congratulates Avvy Go, former clinic director at Chinese and Southeast Asian Clinic (CSALC), on her appointment as a judge of the Federal Court in early August 2021. “Justice Go’s contributions in helping disadvantaged communities are numerous,” says David Field, LAO’s president and CEO. “In her many years as clinic director at CSALC,…

After thoughtful, thorough consultation with Indigenous stakeholders, the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS) at Legal Aid Ontario is publishing Relationships First, Business Later, Part I, of a consultation report on the AJS’s and LAO’s effectiveness in the delivery of legal aid services to Indigenous clients in Ontario. It is vital for us to be the most effective…

Starting May 17, 2021, Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) will allow certain people to apply online and all clients will now have access to new features on a client‑only site. In this first phase, online applications will be available to people with specific immigration/refugee, criminal and family issues who: have no income, or receive Ontario Works…

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is setting new temporary financial eligibility thresholds for domestic violence and child protection matters that will come into effect May 3, 2021 until September 30, 2021 for non‑Indigenous applicants. Financial eligibility criteria for these matters reflects an increase over the pre-pandemic threshold. The new eligibility threshold replaces the emergency waiver of financial eligibility…

In July 2020, the legislature passed the Legal Aid Services Act, 2020, (LASA 2020) which will govern legal aid in Ontario. Before the new law comes into effect, we must create rules to guide and support its implementation. These rules will help us create a modern approach to serving our clients. Between April 21 and May 20,…