The province has committed to allocating $8 million to help residents resolve family law issues faster. The money will be put towards the Family Justice Strategy.

Funding will be used to, ' increase access to crucial pre-court services such as mediation and counselling for families seeking a divorce, or resolving spousal support, parenting or child support issues.

$5 million will go towards The Family Justice Strategy, initially introduced in Calgary in Edmonton in 2023. The additional funds will support the complete rollout of enhanced pre-court services in Edmonton and Calgary. The other $3 million will be allocated towards expanding the Family Justice Strategy to Red Deer through this year's budget.

"Court processes can often be complex and stressful for families. This support will ease some of that burden by helping Albertans navigate court processes more effectively or avoid them altogether," said Alberta's Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mickey Amery.

The rollout of the Family Justice Strategy in Red Deer will begin now, with full implementation expected by the end of the year.

Kyle Kawanami, President of the Canadian Bar Association of the Alberta Branch said that the Bar Association supports the announcement.

".. The expansion of the Alberta Family Justice Strategy moves our province closer to having a fully unified family court system. We look forward to continued innovations in this area, which will serve to improve court processes and advance access to justice for Alberta families.”

The Family Resolution Hub is one of several resources available to Albertans dealing with family law matters. Introduced in December 2023, the online platform enables people to explore dispute resolution options without requiring court visits, thereby saving time and reducing stress during an already stressful time. 

According to the province, initial data shows that there has been a 36 per cent increase in matters resolved through Alberta Justice dispute resolution programs.

 

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