Canadian law foundations collaborated to streamline the grant application process
The Law Foundation of Ontario has announced increased funding for the Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters.
In 2024, the foundation approved a three-year grant of $313,000, more than doubling its previous funding commitment. This announcement marks the foundation's first time providing a multi-year grant instead of an annual one.
The Action Committee was established in 2007 by then-Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin to enhance engagement, pursue strategic reforms, and coordinate efforts across Canada to improve civil and family justice. The newly approved funding aims to bolster the Action Committee's operational capacity and expand its programming nationwide.
The foundation provides the grant through its Access to Justice Fund (ATJF), which cy-près awards finance. The ATJF was created in 2009 following a $14.6 million cy-près award from Cassano v. TD Bank and continues to receive court-approved cy-près allocations for access to justice initiatives.
For the first time, Canadian law foundations collaborated to streamline the grant application process for the Action Committee. The law foundations of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan combined their processes into one application, reducing administrative burdens for the Action Committee and the granting organizations. In a news release, the Law Foundation of Ontario stated that this cooperative approach made the funding process more efficient, allowing for more effective resource allocation to support the committee's objectives.
With the new funding, the Action Committee will undertake several key initiatives, including a nationwide listening tour led by Supreme Court Justice Andromache Karakatsanis and hiring a bilingual project manager. These efforts aim to strengthen the Action Committee's ability to engage with diverse communities and address barriers to justice.
The Action Committee operates across all jurisdictions, with representation from 23 provincial and territorial collaboratives, five national equity-seeking organizations, and 22 justice sector institutions. It coordinates data collection on justice system performance and facilitates knowledge-sharing throughout the year, including at its annual Summit.
During the three-year grant period, the committee is expected to prioritize initiatives to reduce systemic barriers to affordable legal solutions, enhance public legal education, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and promote dispute resolution outside the courts.
