In April 2019 the Ontario government reduced funding to Legal Aid Ontario by 35%. In response to this, Legal Aid Ontario cut funding to community legal clinics by $15 million dollars. This means:
- 20 clinics are dealing with a funding reduction between 6 - 45%, while all other clinics face smaller cuts, though still deeply impactful;
- Many central supports for clinics have been cut or eliminated;
- All clinics have been directed to no longer prioritize doing systematic advocacy work on behalf of the communities and clients;
- These cuts are retroactive to April 1st and they are just the start.
The cuts to Legal Aid Ontario will continue to increase, reaching 45% by 2021 – which will mean more cuts to funding for community legal clinics. This is the most significant attack on community legal clinics in Ontario’s history. It is particularly devastating for those clinics and communities that have been especially targeted for cuts. Community legal clinics are independent, community based non-profit corporations. We help the most vulnerable people in our province with the basic essentials of life: keeping a roof over their head and some money to put food on the table. This massive cut to funding for community legal clinics will mean reduced front line services – something that Premier Ford promised would not happen with government budget cuts.
On July 30, 2019, our legal clinic, along with all community legal clinics across Ontario will be participating in a Day of Action to promote awareness of these cuts, and the significant impact it will have on our low-income residents. We will have a mobile legal clinic on site, to provide general legal advice on various areas of law, as well as our “Stop the Cuts: Access to Justice For All” campaign information and flyers as well as the unique opportunity for community members to voice their opposition to these government cuts via the official campaign site: https://stoplegalaidcuts.nationbuilder.com/
Join us on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, from 11am-2pm at Charles Clark Square, 215 Chatham Street East Located between Chatham Street East and University Avenue East, midway between Goyeau and McDougall streets. All legal and administrative staff from the Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic will be attending and participating in this event.