Statistics Canada Article on Legal Aid in Canada, 2012/2013

Statistics Canada published an article in its publication Juristat entitled Legal aid in Canada, 2012/2013:

"Access to justice in Canada is a priority of governments and policy-makers, legal professionals and the public. One aspect is access to legal services. Not all Canadians have the resources to pay for a lawyer. Legal aid plans have been established in all provinces and territories with the common goal of assisting lower-income Canadians who require legal services either for criminal or civil matters. This Juristat bulletin presents results from the Legal Aid Survey which collects information on the operation of Canada’s 13 legal aid plans."

"In order to operate and provide legal services, legal aid plans receive funding from governments (both federal and provincial/territorial) as well as from client contributions, cost recoveries from legal settlements, and contributions from the legal profession and other sources."

"The federal government provides criminal legal aid funding to the provinces and criminal and civil legal aid funding to the territories.2 In 2012/2013, the federal government reported providing a total of $112 million to all provincial/territorial legal aid plans in Canada."

"Provincial and territorial governments directly fund both criminal and civil legal aid. In 2012/2013, provincial and territorial governments reported contributing $658 million to legal aid plans across Canada."

"Legal aid plans in Canada reported receiving funding of almost $835 million in 2012/2013 ... Government sources contributed the vast majority of this amount at 93% of the total."

"The remaining 7% of funding was received from client contributions and cost recoveries from legal settlements, contributions of the legal profession and other sources."