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Statistics Canada Launches Municipal and Local Data Portal

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Statistics Canada – in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities – announced the launch of the Centre for Municipal and Local Data (CMLD) portal.

The CMLD aims to serve as a clearinghouse for consistent and comparable municipal data, while “empower[ing] municipalities through timely, trusted and reliable data.”

The portal includes:

  • a data integration and visualisation tool which displays a set of key indicators geographically;
  • a data catalogue of statistics and indicators relevant to municipalities, such as the integration of census data, as well as housing, health and crime statistics;
  • a municipal mapping function;
  • a municipal financial and socioeconomic dashboard which currently allows for comparisons across 35 Canadian cities on standard financial indicators, including those relating to infrastructure spending, as well as allowing integration of selected socioeconomic indicators

Statistics Canada and the FCM invite stakeholders and the public to check the portal regularly as new data and features will continue to be added.

The recently launched Centre for Municipal and Local Data can be accessed online at: https://www159.statcan.gc.ca/index-eng.htm.

Some details about the CMLD in this post were copied from a news release from Statistics Canada’s Stakeholder Relations and Engagement Division.

Canadian Government Seeking Input on Immigration System

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The Canadian government is seeking input on the future of Canada’s immigration system. Until April 2023, the government is engaging stakeholders across Canada to collect feedback on:

  • How Canada’s immigration system can better support Canada’s future economic and social goals;
  • What works about the current immigration system;
  • Changes that would make the current system more successful, and milestones for future successes; and,
  • How Canada can best meet the needs of newcomers

Members of the public can share their views via a 15-minute online survey, available in French and English: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/canada-future-immigration-system.html.

The survey closes on April 27, 2023.

Government of Nova Scotia Seeking Feedback from Justice System Users

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A digital task force, led by the Department of Justice and the Nova Scotia Judiciary, has launched a public survey to gather information from court system users in Nova Scotia. The goal of the survey is to identify areas for improvement in Nova Scotia’s court system and areas where the courts are working well.

The survey represents the second step in the task force’s information-gathering efforts. Interviews were previously carried out with Nova Scotia court staff, judges, lawyers and others with a view to learning areas where the court system is overwhelmed; the types of guidance that are provided by the court system; the types of electronic filing and document management systems that are being used in the court system; when remote court attendance is being used and how it is working; and, in what ways the justice system can better address the need for more access to information. Findings from the survey will help to inform next steps in modernizing Nova Scotia’s courts using technology and digitization.

The public survey will remain open until March 31. It can be accessed online here: https://novascotia.ca/nova-scotia-courts-digital-task-force/.

Recently Revived Law Commission of Canada Launches Website

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The recently revived Law Commission of Canada has launched its website. First established in 1971 and revived and funded under the 2021 federal budget, the Law Commission of Canada is a statutory body with a mandate to provide “independent advice on improvements, modernization and reform for a just legal system that meets the changing needs of Canadian society”. The website provides an overview of the Law Commission’s mandate, background and principles. The Law Commission’s efforts to make the Canadian justice system more accessible and efficient will be outlined in an annual report.

Visit the Law Commission website in English here: https://www.canada.ca/en/law-commission-canada.html et en français ici : https://www.canada.ca/fr/commission-droit-canada.html.

The Law Commission of Canada Act is available online here: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-6.7/index.html.

The Law Commission of Canada is available on Twitter at @LawCommCan et @CommDroitCan.

Supreme Court of Canada Launches Electronic Filing Portal

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Beginning Monday, January 30th, 2023, parties will be able to access a new Electronic Filing Portal to upload documents related to their case before the Supreme Court. With the exception of documents that are under a confidentiality order or sealed, the portal will be used for all filings. Users accessing the web-based portal will be required to register using an email address, which will be verified by the Registry Branch. Users will receive an initial confirmation of documents that are submitted, as well as a confirmation from the Registry when the documents are processed.

For more information about the Supreme Court of Canada’s Electronic Filing Portal, visit: https://www.scc-csc.ca/parties/efp-pde-info-eng.aspx.

Information about the Electronic Filing Portal is available in French here: https://www.scc-csc.ca/parties/efp-pde-info-fra.aspx. 

Manitoba Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Program Accepting Proposals

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A pilot program that aims to provide Manitobans with new and innovative legal service options is now accepting proposals. The Law Society of Manitoba’s “Regulatory Sandbox” pilot program was created to facilitate legal service delivery by lawyers in ways that would not be allowed under current regulations. The program will also provide a safe environment for non-lawyers to provide advice and legal help.

For more information about the Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Program, including access to the application and information on how to submit a proposal, visit the Law Society of Manitoba website here: https://lawsociety.mb.ca/about/lsm-initiatives/access-to-justice/regulatory-sandbox-pilot-program/. Legal service providers who are not lawyers are encouraged to apply.

Access to Justice Week in BC is February 4 to 10, 2023

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This year, Access to Justice Week in British Columbia will take place from Saturday, February 4 to Friday, February 10. The theme of this year’s event is “Access to Justice – Whose Job is it Anyway?” Events scheduled for Access to Justice Week BC include:

  • Youth Leaders in Law: National Conference 2023 (Saturday, February 4)
    During this event, high school and undergraduate students interested in law school will hear from a panel of law school professors and legal counsel. Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet and speak with panelists and law students. This event will be available via Zoom.
  • Access to Justice Issues in BC’s Family Law System (Monday, February 6)
    This panel will highlight recent research on access to justice issues in BC’s family law system and explore the importance of people-centred design. 

There will be two events on Tuesday, February 7: Understanding and Creating Access to Justice (in-person session) and Access to Justice: Whose Job is it Anyway?

Other events include:

Wednesday, February 8
Event 1: Neurodiversity in Law
Event 2: Youth Leaders in law Virtual Speed Networking

Thursday, February 9
Event 1: Justice for Everyone: Developing New Lawyers in the Public Interest
Event 2: Friends of the Court and Access to Justice

Friday, February 10
Event 1: Innovating to Create Market-Based Solutions
Event 2: Drug Treatment Court – Specialized Approaches

For information on whether events can be attended remotely or in-person, and for the full description of Access to Justice Week BC events, including information on panelists, visit the Access to Justice Week BC website: https://accesstojusticebc.ca/a2jweekbc/.

New Report Includes more than 40 Recommendations for Improving Access to Justice for Separating Families in England and Wales

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JUSTICE, a reform and human rights organisation in the UK working to improve the justice system, has published a new report on Improving Access to Justice for Separating Families. While the report notes that there are serious access to justice challenges being experienced by families accessing the justice system, the focus of the report is on private family disputes in England and Wales involving children. The report applies an ‘access to justice’ lens to examine the rights of children and families and makes 43 recommendations related to child arrangements problems and their resolution in England and Wales. The key principles that guided this work by the JUSTICE organisation are:

i) The rule of law requires access to forms of dispute resolution – including access to the court system.
ii) The family justice system must be designed around the needs of families, not the expertise of legal professionals; and
iii) The child’s perspective must be at the heart of every stage of dispute resolution in the family justice system.

Improving Access to Justice for Separating Families, A Report by JUSTICE is available online here: https://bit.ly/ImproveFamilyJusticeUK.

Annual Access to Justice Week to Focus on Using Data to Address Legal Needs

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The seventh annual Access to Justice Week will run from October 24 to 28, 2022. This year’s event will feature a series of workshops and presentations on the theme, “Access to Justice Counts: Using Data to Address the Legal Needs of Canadians”. The full schedule is now available. The public is invited to learn more by visiting the event website and register to attend events, which will take place virtually: https://lso.ca/theactiongroup/access-to-justice-week.

B.C. Government Publishes Intentions Paper on Regulatory Modernization and Seeks Feedback on Proposed Reforms

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The British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General has published “Legal Professions Regulatory Modernization”, an intentions paper discussing B.C.’s legal services landscape, previous reform efforts in the province, and proposed reforms. Among the proposed reforms, the paper lists:

  • A single statute and a single regulator;
  • A clear mandate that communicates the regulator’s core responsibilities and powers;
  • A modernized governance framework;
  • A flexible licensing framework;
  • An efficient discipline framework to ensure that there are effective processes in place to maintain competence and professional conduct and practice among those subject to the regulation; and,
  • An enhanced focus on public interest.

For anyone interested in providing feedback to the proposals, the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General invites written submissions via email at PLD@gov.bc.ca or feedback submitted via online survey at https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/consultation/legal-professions-reform/. Submissions will be accepted until November 18, 2022.