A2J is About People

People

"There is a serious access to justice problem in Canada. The civil and family justice system is too complex, too slow and too expensive. It is too often incapable of producing just outcomes that are proportional to the problems brought to it or reflective of the needs of the people it is meant to serve."

“Access to Civil & Family Justice: A Roadmap for Change”
Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters, 2013

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A2JBC has come to the realization that the key to improving A2J is shifting to a user-centred approach to the justice system.

This includes defining access to justice from the point of view of the people that the justice system is intended to serve.

A user-centred approach leads to an expansive view of the justice system to include not just courts, but all services, institutions and organizations that support people in getting the skills, knowledge, resources and services they need to manage their legal problems.

For example, access to justice includes providing people with the information they need to understand the law, or supporting them to resolve their own disputes without having to go to court.

“Access to justice means enabling people to avoid, manage, and resolve civil and family legal problems and disputes.”

"Access to Civil &Family Justice: A Roadmap for Change"
Action Committee on Access to Justice in Civil and Family Matters, 2013

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