Everyone in Canada should expect to live in a society where the justice system is fair, accessible, and supports the needs of victims. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects and activities that promote access to justice and give victims and survivors of crime a stronger voice in the family justice system.
Today, Gary Anandasangaree, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby, Ontario, announced that the Government of Canada is providing financial support to four projects led by Luke's Place. Luke's Place is a support and resource centre for women and children and the funding will provide specialized services, resources and information to families, women and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Luke's Place focuses on the unique needs of women and their children who require assistance when dealing with family law matters. These include, for example, accessible services for women with disabilities, or for services in another language. By designing and offering inclusive services, Luke's Place helps remove systemic barriers faced by many survivors of IPV in the family justice system.
Justice Canada is providing $2,409,915 through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program. Two projects designed to enhance services for victims of IPV are receiving support:
- The Expanding Services and Enhancing Access to Virtual Independent Legal Advice for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence project increases women's access to free independent legal advice and representation by expanding the existing Virtual Legal Clinic. This initiative also helps recruit, train and mentor additional pro-bono lawyers.
- The Addressing Gaps in Family Court Support Services for IPV Survivors in Ontario through Enhanced Services and Knowledge Mobilization and Supporting National Capacity Building Activities project provides outreach services to marginalized and underserved communities and development tools and resources to improve IPV survivors' safety and experiences in family court.
In addition, Justice Canada is providing $291,755 through the Canadian Family Justice Fund for Luke's Place initiatives to improve access to justice for women and their families navigating the family justice system. This funding supports the following initiatives:
- The Building Awareness about Divorce Act Changes Impacting Women project supports women in underserved areas through an outreach campaign on the March 2021 changes to the Divorce Act regarding parenting arrangements. The project also delivers training to service providers on these changes, including measures for dealing with family violence.
- The Strengthening Access to Justice in Family Court project aims to increase access to family justice for women by providing research-based training to lawyers, ensuring that services are responsive to the complex safety needs of women and their families.
