Civil Justice Reform Projects
Justice Access Centres Pilot Projects
Two justice access centres – one in Nanaimo and one in Vancouver – are being set up to test an integrated approach to helping clients reach early and affordable solutions to their justice problems, including debt, consumer problems, housing and other civil or family law matters.
These pilot projects are being developed in response to recommendations made by the B.C. Civil Justice Reform Working Group and the B.C. Family Justice Reform Working Group, both of which recommended information and service "centres" or “hubs” be established. The working groups recognized that:
- the lack of services and the failure to coordinate existing services makes it difficult for people to use the justice system;
- providing information and services early is the best way to help people prevent legal problems from arising and to resolve problems quickly when they do occur.
The goal of the justice access centres is to provide a location where people can benefit from a range of legal information, advice, mediation, and other services that will help them resolve their justice problems. Rather than just looking to the court for an answer, there will be a focus on looking at problems more broadly and being open to a wider range of possible solutions.
The justice access centres will provide:
- self help resources;
- family and civil client needs assessment and referrals to other agencies;
- family mediation and dispute resolution; and
- limited legal advice.
Services may be delivered by service providers located at the centre, or through referrals to providers in the community.
The Ministry of Attorney General and the Legal Services Society are partnering to establish and operate the justice access centres. These pilot projects will also bring together legal, pro bono, advocacy, community agency and government or government agency services. The justice access centres are funded, in part, through grants from the Law Foundation of BC.
The anticipated opening dates are October 2008 for the Nanaimo justice access centre and early 2009 for the Vancouver justice access centre.
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