We want to thank every client, partner, and community member that has stood beside the Grey-Bruce Community Legal Clinic since the Provincial Government’s announcement of massive cuts to Legal Aid Ontario in April. Because of your support, the Legal Clinic is still here and can continue to offer services to our community members across our counties. We were fortunate to make it through the first round of government cuts with our services intact.

However, the Provincial Government did not reduce the overall cuts to legal clinics. Premier Doug Ford’s Ontario budget announced cuts to Legal Aid Ontario funding by 30% of LAO’s budget, retroactive to April 1, 2019. Clinics in other communities were hit much harder than ours and many will have to dramatically reduce their services. Specialized clinics that fight for real change in the specific areas of housing, income security, and workers’ rights were hit the hardest. Our learning and training budget was also eliminated. These cuts are devastating to our Ontario clinic system.

The Grey-Bruce Community Legal Clinic was established in 2002 to provide free legal services to low income individuals and families in Grey and Bruce Counties. We are committed to providing direct, local front line service by providing free legal advice, assistance and representation to the most vulnerable in our communities.

While we are able to keep our services available for now, we know that in March 2020, deeper cuts to the clinic system are planned. Changes have also been proposed that may see legal clinics eliminated altogether. We will continue to provide services to our communities and call on the government to meet our needs and for our representatives to stand up for our community. We hope that you will continue the fight with us as work together to change the course of this province.

Please join us on July 30, 2019 from 12-2pm for a Pop-Up Legal Clinic in front of City Hall in downtown Owen Sound and help support our fight to stop the cuts to Legal Aid! We hope that we will see you there.

Thank you for your support of the Grey-Bruce Community Legal Clinic.

Sincerely,
The Staff of the Grey-Bruce Community Legal Clinic

source: media  release