Facts & Stats
Legal Aid Manitoba is committed to increasing access to justice by establishing sustainable, scalable and accessible full representation programs for low-income individuals, the working poor and groups.
Client Base
Financial Eligibility Guidelines
FEG – 1 Person Family ($)
- One-person financial eligibility guideline (FEG) for jurisdictions across Canada
- Jurisdictions that calculate financial eligibility guidelines on a net income amount (Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia) adjusted to the gross amount for comparative purposes
Scope of Service
Our resources are primarily devoted to providing Manitobans with access to lawyers.
Services Delivered
LAM provides duty counsel services to individuals, regardless of their financial circumstances, in many rural circuit points, and the service has been re-introduced
in Winnipeg to ensure immediate access to justice where the assistance of legal counsel is reasonably required to prevent a miscarriage of justice and/or fulfil the Charter right to counsel primarily in the areas of criminal defence and child protection. Duty counsel services include:
- meeting with unrepresented persons at court to provide urgent advice and assistance as needed;
- remanding matters from time to time for the appointment or retention of counsel; and
- assisting with impromptu bails, guilty pleas, and negotiated settlements with the Crown where a remand for counsel would significantly prejudice the interests of the Accused, or where a Judge directs that assistance be provided for the instant sitting of the court.
Legal Aid Costs
Legal Aid Manitoba services are compensated at a very modest rate, with reasonable incentives for cases that can be resolved more quickly, and carefully audited increases in compensation where they are extremely complicated and lengthy. Our cost per case is the lowest when compared to legal aid plans across Canada, even as we provide more full representation certificates per capita than any other legal aid plan.
Total Expenditures
Per Capita Certificate (Certificates/person)
Administration Costs
Legal Aid Manitoba delivers services in a cost-effective and efficient manner so that a greater number of Manitobans living near the poverty line can access legal representation and advice.
