Legal aid services hit by second round of cuts this year
BCGEU
Nov 3 '09

The BC Legal Services Society has been targeted for budget cuts by the BC Liberal government for the second time this year, which will have a serious impact on public access to the justice system, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union said today.

As part of a planned re-organization of the Legal Services Society, the BC Liberal government will close regional offices in Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, Victoria and Surrey next year, along with the Justice Access Centre in Nanaimo. Only the Terrace regional office will remain open.

The society plans to lay off up to 54 employees, and cut many civil law projects, including the LawLine and the Community Advocate Support Line.

"These cuts will further reduce the ability of low-income people to access the legal system, and will create a greater inequity between the richest and poorest citizens," said BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "Rural communities are losing a valuable resource with the closure of the regional offices and the knowledgeable staff that help ordinary people navigate the legal system."

Earlier in January this year, the BC government's funding cuts forced the Legal Services Society to reduce staff in the Lower Mainland by 38 positions and cut back core services and special projects, while demand for its services rose dramatically.

These cuts follow the massive 40 per cent cut to legal aid services by the BC Liberal government in their first term, from 2002-2005.

In addition to the planned cuts, the government has informed the society that they will no longer be able to use accumulated surpluses to cover funding shortfalls, and will no longer be able to incur a deficit, meaning that additional service cuts may be necessary in coming years.