Category Ontario

International Access to Justice Conference – Call for Proposals

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Osgoode Hall Law School of York University is pleased to announce that the 2024 International Access to Justice Forum (IA2J Forum) will take place at Osgoode Professional Development, in downtown Toronto, Canada, from October 23-25, 2024.

For those interested in presenting at the conference, the submission portal (https://machformext.osgoode.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=365881) is now open for proposals. Please note that all presenters must plan to attend the conference in person.

We invite presentations from scholars; researchers; legal practitioners; court, tribunal, and dispute resolution staff; and other legal service providers from around the world on a range of topics relating to access to civil justice. Topics of particular interest include the following:

New data or empirical analysis regarding the prevalence of civil legal problems, perceptions or understandings of legal matters, or behavior taken in response to justiciable events;
Legal professional regulatory reform, alternative legal service providers, and innovative legal service partnerships;
The role of legal technology in enhancing access to justice;
Access to justice in the face of climate change, global conflict, and economic change;
Interventions and approaches to enhance equality in access to civil justice for underserved groups;
Research regarding the outcomes and impacts of legal services, or the return on investment regarding the delivery of legal services; and
The place of access to justice in legal education.

Those interested in presenting should submit a brief abstract (no more than 3,000 characters) that clearly identifies the proposed topic and summarizes key findings or lessons. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Deadline for Submissions: May 31, 2024 (11:59 pm ET)

Conference Co-Chairs:
Dean Trevor Farrow, Professor Suzanne Chiodo, and Professor Patricia McMahon,
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.

Questions may be directed to:
Erika Robinson (erobinson@osgoode.yorku.ca), Research Events & Communications Coordinator, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.

Access to Justice Organizations Collaborating on Person-Centred Justice, Change & Connection Workshop

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The Access to Justice Centre for Excellence at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law (ACE) and McGill University’s Faculty of Law in collaboration with the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) and CREATE Justice at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law will be hosting a hybrid workshop on Person-Centred Justice, Change, and Connection at McGill University’s Faculty of Law from May 24-25, 2024 (the 2024 PCJ Workshop). Proposals are welcome from researchers, graduate students, and practitioners on themes related to access to justice and person-centred justice, including works and projects which challenge or expand understandings of the field through empirical, critical, or pluralistic lenses. The deadline to submit proposals is January 19, 2024.

The 2024 PCJ Workshop will build on the excellent discussions and scholarly exchanges that took place at the inaugural Person-Centred Justice workshop held at York University on May 29, 2023 and subsequent (forthcoming 2024) contributions to a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Law and Society on Person-Centred Justice. The workshop will be an opportunity to build connections between scholars, researchers, practitioners and other access to justice stakeholders across Canada; it will also facilitate the development of scholarly works for publication in journals that accept submissions on the themes of access to justice and person-centred justice such as the Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice (see submission guidelines). Finally, the 2024 PCJ Workshop will also support preparation for the upcoming International Access to Justice Forum to be held in Toronto in fall of 2024 in a friendly, collaborative and supportive atmosphere.

The 2024 PCJ Workshop will be held in a fully hybrid format, with a focus on virtual presenters on May 24th and in-person presenters on May 25th. Presenters will be arranged into panels based on themes that emerge from submissions to encourage new connections. In support of the 2024 PCJ Workshop, ACE and its partners are seeking the support of SSHRC through a Connections Grant. If ACE and its partners are successful in gaining Connections Grant funding, financial support will be available to:

  1. Provide travel support funding for participants that express a need for funding to attend in- person, such as graduate students and practitioners – priority will be given to those who apply by January 10, 2024;
  2. Provide simultaneous and documentary English/French translation to support bilingual proceedings at the 2024 PCJ Workshop; and
  3. Provide guidance and support for the publication and dissemination of research through avenues such as blog posts, social media channels, and scholarly journals.

Those interested in submitting an abstract (maximum 250 words) are asked to fill out the following online form by January 19, 2024: English Version | Version française

Inquiries about the event can be directed to: kaitlyncumming@gmail.com

Download a copy of the Call for Proposals here: https://ajrndotco.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/call-for-proposals-appel-a-participation-2024-pcj-workshop.pdf.

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Appel à propositions
Atelier hybride sur la justice axée sur la personne, le changement et les connexions Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill | 24 et 25 mai 2024

Le Centre d’excellence pour l’accès à la justice de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Victoria (ACE) et la Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill en collaboration avec le Forum canadien sur la justice civile (FCJC) et CREATE Justice du Collège de droit de l’Université de Saskatchewan, a le plaisir d’annoncer qu’il organisera un atelier hybride sur la justice axée sur la personne, le changement et les connexions à la Faculté de droit de l’Université McGill les 24 et 25 mai 2024 (l’atelier JAP 2024). Nous invitons les chercheuses et chercheurs, les étudiant·es aux cycles supérieurs et les praticien·ne·s à soumettre des propositions sur des thèmes liés à l’accès à la justice et à la justice axée sur la personne, y compris des travaux et des projets qui remettent en question ou élargissent la compréhension du domaine à l’aide d’approches empiriques, critiques ou pluralistes. La date limite de soumission des propositions est le 19 janvier 2024.

L’atelier JAP 2024 construira sur le fondement des excellentes discussions et des échanges scientifiques qui ont eu lieu lors de l’atelier inaugural sur la justice axée sur la personne qui s’est tenu à l’Université York le 29 mai 2023 et sur les contributions ultérieures (dont la publication est à venir en 2024) à un numéro spécial de la Revue canadienne droit et société portant sur la justice axée sur la personne. L’atelier sera l’occasion d’établir des liens entre les universitaires, les chercheuses et chercheurs, les praticien·ne·s et d’autres acteurs de l’accès à la justice de partout au Canada; il facilitera également l’élaboration de travaux universitaires destinés à être publiés dans des revues qui acceptent des articles sur les thèmes de l’accès à la justice et de la justice axée sur la personne, telles que le Recueil annuel de Windsor d’accès à la justice (voir leurs lignes directrices pour les soumissions). Enfin, l’atelier JAP 2024 soutiendra également, dans une atmosphère amicale, de collaboration et de soutien, les préparatifs en vue du Forum international sur l’accès à la justice qui se tiendra à Toronto en automne 2024.

L’atelier JAP 2024 se déroulera de façon entièrement hybride, avec un accent sur les présentateurs virtuels le 24 mai et sur les présentateurs en personne le 25 mai. Les présentateurs seront répartis en panels en fonction des thèmes qui émergeront des soumissions afin d’encourager de nouvelles connexions. Pour soutenir l’atelier JAP 2024, ACE et ses partenaires sollicitent présentement le soutien du CRSH par le biais d’une Subvention Connexion. Si ACE et ses partenaires réussissent à obtenir ce financement, un soutien financier sera disponible pour :

  1. Fournir du financement pour les déplacements des participant·es qui en expriment le besoin pour assister à l’atelier en personne, tels que les étudiant·es aux cycles supérieurs et les praticien·ne·s – La priorité sera donnée à ceux qui auront déposé leur soumission avant le 10 janvier 2024;
  2. Fournir une traduction simultanée et documentaire de l’anglais au français et vice-versa, afin de permettre que l’atelier JAP 2024 se déroule dans les deux langues; et
  3. Fournir des conseils aux participant·es en soutenant la publication et la diffusion de la recherche par des moyens tels que des articles de blog, des médias sociaux et des revues académiques.

Les personnes intéressées à soumettre un résumé de leur contribution (250 mots maximum) sont priées de remplir le formulaire électronique suivant avant le 19 janvier 2024 : Version française | English Version

Les questions concernant l’événement peuvent être adressées à: kaitlyncumming@gmail.com

Alberta, Ontario Announce Steps to Enhance Access to Justice

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Alberta

On December 1st, Alberta’s government announced a new Family Justice Strategy aimed at making it easier for Albertans to address family court matters. The news release indicates that, “the new Family Justice Strategy will help align services in both the Alberta Court of Justice and the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, so that Albertans can access the same types of services no matter which court they attend”.

The provincial government’s $5 million investment in the Family Justice Strategy will expand pre-court services in Edmonton and Calgary, including alternative dispute resolution, family court counsellors, and parenting interventions. In addition, the government is introducing a Family Resolution Hub online tool to provide information for Albertans dealing with family law matters.

Information about Alberta’s investment in increasing access to family justice services is available in English here: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=893927C5CE690-FFA2-A2F0-ACF90115EB8E62CE

Ontario

Ontario’s government is proposing new legislation which, if passed, would seek to make it easier for victims of crime to sue an offender for emotional distress, protect children and youth from cannabis, enhance community safety, and make court and government operations more efficient.

The Enhancing Access to Justice Act, 2023 is among several legislative changes being proposed by the provincial government. Changes to the Courts of Justice Act and other statutes are aimed at improving court efficiencies and ensuring court, jury and administrative procedures and operations are clearer and more accessible.

The press release on the Ontario government’s Enhancing Access to Justice Act, 2023 is available in English here: https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1003902/enhancing-access-to-justice-act-2023.

Information about the proposed Enhancing Access to Justice Act, 2023 is available in French here: https://news.ontario.ca/fr/backgrounder/1003902/loi-de-2023-visant-a-ameliorer-lacces-a-la-justice.

Healthcare Based Housing Initiative Set to Launch at Toronto’s University Hospital Network

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According to a 2021 Statistics Canada report, more than 235,000 people in Canada experience homelessness in a given year. Research from the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) confirms connections between everyday legal problems and costs to the basic security of individuals in terms of loss of employment and loss of housing. Research further shows that factors such as access to safe, good quality housing can have significant impacts on the health of individuals and populations.

Social determinants of health – the understanding that housing, income, and food security are critical components of a health society – are central to a new initiative by Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN). UHN is now close to completing Toronto’s first community of supportive housing units, which includes more than 50 units. UHN clinicians will be able to prescribe housing to patients who do not have housing or who are in unstable living situations, with the potential that patients may live in one of these units. UHN also aims to provide residents with access to community support workers. Rent payments for residents were determined considering that many may be Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients or otherwise have a limited income.

Information about this initiative was gleaned from “This Ontario hospital network is prescribing housing to patients-and building homes on its property” by Kevin Smith, published in Maclean’s Magazine (October 10, 2023): https://macleans.ca/society/health/prescriptive-housing-uhn/.

To learn more about social adversity and everyday legal problems, see Social and Economic Adversity Experienced by Canadians and Everyday Legal Problems by Ab Currie and Lisa Moore: https://cfcj-fcjc.org/wp-content/uploads/Social-and-Economic-Adversity-Experienced-by-Canadians-and-Everyday-Legal-Problems-Ab-Currie-Lisa-Moore.pdf.

To learn more about multidisciplinary legal problem resolution, see Crossing Boundaries: Exploring Multi-Disciplinary Models for Legal Problem Resolution by Lisa Moore: https://cfcj-fcjc.org/wp-content/uploads/Crossing-Boundaries-Exploring-Multi-Disciplinary-Models-for-Legal-Problem-Resolution-by-Lisa-Moore.pdf.

Public Legal Education Association of Canada Annual Conference Takes Place October 25–26, 2023

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The Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC), the national umbrella organization for public legal education and information (PLEI) groups across Canada, will hold their annual conference this year in Toronto from October 25th to 26th.

The conference will include workshops, plenaries, and townhall sessions on a range of topics, including: “The Role of Community Workers and Other Trusted Helpers in the Justice Ecosystem”, “Artificial Intelligence: How to Harness it (for good) for Public Legal Education”, and “Advocating for Better Justice: Does Public Legal Education Have a Role?”

Attendance is capped at 150 people.

To learn more about the conference, how to register, conference fees and more, visit the PLEAC website here: https://www.pleac-aceij.ca/our-work/annual-conference/.

Women and Gender Equality Canada Publishes Two Calls for Proposals

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Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) has two open calls for proposals. WAGE invites non-for-profit organizations, women’s organizations, Indigenous women’s organizations, or other equality-seeking organizations in Canada with a mandate to advance women’s equality to submit a proposal for a capacity-building or systemic change project.

Under Call 1 – the Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund – WAGE seeks to support projects that address barriers to women’s success, change systems to improve women’s economic security and prosperity, and/or increase women’s representation.

Under Call 2 – Women’s Capacity Fund – WAGE welcomes proposals for projects that seek to develop the long-term capacity of women’s and Indigenous women’s organizations.

The submission deadline is November 3, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. pacific time. Eligible organizations can apply to one call.

For information on eligibility requirements or more information about the calls, please visit the WAGE website here: https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en/funding/funding-programs/women-economic-leadership-opportunities-capacity-funds/about.html.

Women in Law Reflect on Challenges, Triumphs, and Regrets in New Book

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A new collection, edited by Beth Bilson (University of Saskatchewan, College of Law), Leah Howie (Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan), and Brea Lowenberger (Saskatchewan’s Access to Justice Coordinator), presents the experiences of 18 women navigating law school and legal careers. Contributors – who are from different generations and different areas of law – discuss various issues they have faced in their journey in law and the impacts of gender-based and race-based discrimination, sexual orientation, and disability in their careers.

The foreword for this collection is written by The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin.

Creating a Seat at the Table: Reflections from Women in Law is available for pre-order: https://uofrpress.ca/Books/C/Creating-a-Seat-at-the-Table.

New Report Examines Perceptions of Canada’s Justice System and Experiences of Discrimination among Chinese People in Canada

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According to a new report published by Statistics Canada, Chinese people experience different forms of discrimination in Canada, including discrimination based on: race or skin colour (22%), ethnicity or culture (17%), language (11%), physical appearance (5.1%), sex (4.3%), age (3.7%) and gender identity or expression (1.4%).

A majority of Chinese people surveyed for the General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety in 2019 reported significant or some confidence in the police (85%). However, compared to other racialized and non-racialized groups, Chinese people were less likely to rate the police positively for every indicator of police performance included in the survey, and their overall confidence in the police is lower than that of the non-racialized population (92%). The report also cites findings from the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) revealing that, within the 3-year reference period of the CLPS, approximately 16% of Chinese people experienced at least one legal problem or dispute they considered serious or difficult to address. This is compared to 21% of other racialized populations who experienced serious and difficult-to-resolve legal problems for the same period.

The diverse insights from the Experiences of Discrimination in Daily Life among Chinese People in Canada, and their Perceptions of and Experiences with the Police and the Justice System report are available on the Statistics Canada website in English here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2023001/article/00005-eng.htm.

Expériences de discrimination dans la vie quotidienne des personnes chinoises au Canada, et expériences et perceptions de celles-ci relatives à la police et au système de justice est disponsible en français ici : https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2023001/article/00005-fra.htm.

The report is written by Shana Conroy.

Canadian Association of Black Lawyers Launches First-of-its-kind Study Examining Black Lawyers’ Experiences in Canada

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The Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL), with support from The Counsel Network and the TD Ready Commitment, has launched a survey to gather information about “the work experiences, career paths, opportunities and challenges encountered by Black lawyers in Canada”. In an interview with Law360, the president of CABL, Kyle Elliott observed that the legal profession “hasn’t always done a good job of [collecting and sharing data]”, adding that this study will contribute demographic data and important insights to the overall understanding of inequities and inequalities in the legal profession.

The survey includes questions aimed at collecting data on the Black experience in the legal profession related to:

  • Job interviews
  • Work environments
  • Opportunities for advancement
  • Support from mentors/sponsorship
  • Experiences within law firms, government, public and private companies are all examined.

The survey will remain open until 31 July, 2023. To access the survey in English or French, visit: https://cabl.ca/the-survey-examining-the-black-lawyers-experience-in-canada-is-live/.

Report Examines Legal Problems Experienced by First Nations People Living Off Reserve, Métis, and Inuit Living in the Provinces

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A new report by the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships examines the types and prevalence of legal problems experienced by First Nations people living off reserve, Métis, and Inuit. The 19 problems and disputes considered in the research are based on the serious problems identified in the 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS).

Among the findings, the report reveals that:

  • A higher percentage of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit experienced a serious legal problem in the past three years than non-racialized and non-Indigenous people
  • First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit experienced much higher rates of almost all 19 legal problem types than non-racialized and non-Indigenous people
  • Indigenous peoples experience problems related to discrimination at rates that are almost 2.5 times that of non-racialized/non-Indigenous people

Serious problems or disputes experienced by First Nations people living off reserve, Métis, and Inuit living in the provinces is co-authored by Tristan Marshall and Mohan B. Kumar. It is available on the Statistics Canada website in English here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/41-20-0002/412000022023003-eng.htm.

Problèmes ou conflits graves vécus par les personnes des Premières Nations vivant hors réserve, les Métis et les Inuit vivant dans les provinces est disponible en français ici : https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/41-20-0002/412000022023003-fra.htm.