Update on funding of legal aid services

On August 12, 2019, the Government of Canada announced a one-time investment for 2019-20 of $26.8 million for immigration and refugee legal aid services in Ontario ($25.7 million), British Columbia ($1.16 million), and Manitoba ($0.02 million).

This investment is intended to address funding gaps in all three provinces. This includes Ontario, where the issuance of new legal aid certificates has been limited to the preparation of refugee claimants' Basis of Claim form since April 2019, pending the implementation of measures to ensure legal aid sustainability over the longer-term.

Additional information is available in the Government of Canada's news release.