Whether you qualify for a legal aid certificate (a certificate that allows you to hire a private lawyer which the government will pay) will depend on the requirements for the legal aid program in your province.

Requirements to Qualify For Legal Aid:

Generally, the requirements to qualify for legal aid are:

1. You Must Be Low Income:

The legal aid program in your province will evaluate your household income, and sometimes also your assets and expenses, to determine whether you are under the income limit.

2. Your Case Must Have Merit:

Legal aid staff will evaluate your case and decide whether your case has merit (whether it has a chance of success).

 3. Your Case Must Be the Kind of Legal Case Covered by the Program: 

Legal aid staff will determine whether your matter is covered by the legal aid program in your province. Many provinces will not provide legal aid certificates for civil matters like Wills or estate-related lawsuits, real estate, contract disputes, or personal injury claims – but rather, only for certain family, criminal, or refugee matters.

Other points to keep in mind:

Legal aid programs can refuse to help you if you do not qualify for their programs.

Some legal aid programs pay only a portion of your legal fees and you will be responsible for the rest.

If you do not qualify for legal aid (a certificate to hire a private lawyer) it is possible you may still qualify for legal help by going to a community legal clinic.

In order to see if you are qualified to get free legal aid from the government, visit your province’s/ territory’s Legal Aid offices or clinics. Legal Aid Information and Contact