Statistics Canada Article on Legal Aid in Canada, 2013/14

Statistics Canada has published an article in its publication Juristat entitled Legal aid in Canada, 2013/2014:

"Access to justice in Canada is a priority of governments, policy-makers, legal professionals and the public ... One aspect of access to justice 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 for 2013/2014 of the Legal Aid Survey, which collects information on the operation of Canada’s 13 legal aid plans."

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

"The federal government provides funding for legal aid to the provinces and territories. According to data from the Legal Aid Survey, the federal government, through the Department of Justice Legal Aid Program, reported providing a total of $112 million to the provinces and territories for the delivery of criminal and civil legal aid. Provincial and territorial governments directly fund both criminal and civil legal aid. In 2013/2014, provincial and territorial governments reported contributing $643 million to legal aid plans across Canada."

"Legal aid plans in Canada reported receiving funding of $823 million in 2013/2014 ... Government sources contributed the vast majority of this amount—92% of the total. The remaining 8% of funding was received from client contributions, cost recoveries from legal settlements, and contributions from the legal profession and other sources."