• creating Legal Services Centres throughout the province that will provide an upfront assessment of clients' legal needs and will refer clients to the appropriate legal service;
• temporarily reducing financial eligibility requirements for clients receiving expanded criminal duty counsel services and those clients receiving services provided through certificates for limited or full legal representation;
• expanding criminal duty counsel in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge;
• tailoring limited scope representation services to meet specific client need;
• offering family mediation services beginning in Edmonton and Calgary and
• restructuring Legal Aid Alberta's Immigration and Refugee Services to address client needs.

"The temporary changes to Legal Aid Alberta's financial guidelines are necessary for continuing to allow Albertans to access essential legal services," says Colin Kloot, Chair of the Legal Aid Alberta Board of Directors.  "Government funding for legal aid has sustained itself, but Legal Aid Alberta is affected by loss of significant funds from the Alberta Law Foundation and other revenue sources as a result of the economic downturn.  Making cost-saving changes to the legal aid plan is necessary to ensure access to justice for Albertans well into the future."

Legal Aid Alberta will also be expanding the legal services it offers in the Wetaskiwin region in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.  Other issues addressed in the review include governance structures, supporting the use of non-lawyers in the provision of targeted legal services and continuing to leverage technology to provide more efficient and effective services.  The complete report and recommendations can be viewed here.

Legal Aid Alberta and Alberta Justice will evaluate these pilot projects after one year.

Media inquiries may be directed to:

Jennifer Fowler - Director, Communications (Legal Aid Alberta)

(780) 427-8742

Jay O'Neill - Director, Communications (Alberta Justice)

(780) 427-8530