Legal Aid agreement reached

By Lethbridge Herald on July 18, 2025.

Al Beeber
LETHBRIDGE HERALD

The provincial government has signed an updated governance agreement with Legal Aid Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta.

The governance agreement, which came into effect on Wednesday, runs until July of 2030.

“This agreement reflects a shared commitment to maintain an independent, stable and sustainable legal aid system in Alberta – one that can adapt to future challenges while continuing to serve those facing financial barriers to access legal support. Alberta’s government remains committed to ensuring access to justice for all Albertans,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Mickey Amery on Thursday.

The agreement has several key elements including a dispute resolution mechanism to provide an impartial and structured way to deal with disagreements. The government says this is intended to help to resolve disputes quickly and constructively.

Additional oversight and renewal terms are included in the agreement along with provisions for ongoing consultations between the government and Legal Aid Alberta and the Law Society of Alberta.

The deal also includes a new directive provision that enables the province to have the information it needs to secure the long-term sustainability of legal aid services.

Ryan Callioux, board chair of Legal Aid, said in a statement that “this new governance agreement underscores and safeguards the principle of independence in the delivery of legal aid services in this province. It reaffirms Legal Aid Alberta’s role as an essential partner within the justice system and ensures services remain responsive to community needs for years to come. With this agreement in place, we turn our full attention to the work that matters most: delivering legal services to Albertans who need us.”

The province launched a review of legal aid services last October, working with those other two entities to strengthen the current model so it meets the needs of Albertans.

The government contributed $88.1 million in the 2025-26 period to Legal Aid Alberta.

In the past year Legal Aid has been involved with more than 319,000 matters.