Left to right: Ryan Callioux, KC, board chair, Legal Aid Alberta Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Deanna Steblyk, KC, president, Law Society of Alberta. (Photo: Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

Province signs new five-year deal for legal aid services

Sep 4, 2024 | 10:12 AM

Albertans with low incomes can rest assured that if they need a legal aid lawyer, they should be able to get one.

The Government of Alberta has announced that it has signed a five-year governance agreement with Legal Aid Alberta (LAA) and the Law Society of Alberta.

LAA provides low-cost legal counseling for Albertans who make up to $30,000 per year before taxes. They work in the areas of family law, family violence matters, child welfare, immigration, as well as youth and adult criminal defence.

Justice Minister and Attorney General Mickey Amery says this deal helps to ensure the legal aid system remains stable and meets the needs of those who require it.

“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,” says Amery.

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The new governance agreement takes effect on Friday, Sept. 6, and will last until September 5, 2029. In 2024-25, it provides $110 million in funding.

It provides provisions for ongoing consultations between the three parties and justice system partners that will guide the future direction of legal aid services and funding.

Back in July, the province narrowly avoided a work stoppage among legal aid lawyers, after LAA said the UCP government threatened to undermine its independence and place it financially under the control of the justice minister.

A contract extension was granted so negotiations could resume, which eventually led to this new deal being reached.

READ MORE: More Albertans to qualify for legal aid as income threshold changes