Grants and Contributions

The organization is to assist in continuing to respond to criminal legislative policy development with regard to its impact on police and make recommendations on legislative initiatives, attend consultations with Justice, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and other partners in the criminal justice field and in providing advice to the Department on justice-related issues and recommendations on possible amendments to the law, namely through its Law Amendment Committee.

The organization is dedicated to the development and delivery of educational programs for all federal, provincial, and territorial judges. The Institute's programs stimulate continuing professional and personal growth and reflect Canada's cultural, racial, and linguistic diversity, as well as the changing demands on the judiciary in a rapidly-evolving society. The programs focus on three major components of judicial education: substantive law, skills training, and social context issues. The work of the organization aims to improve the administration of justice across Canada and to ensure that the Canadian justice system is fair, relevant and accessible.

The non-profit professional organization maintains professional standards, and promotes the study and enhances the stature of forensic science. It has established two committees: the Alcohol Test Committee which acts as an advisory body to the Department of Justice on matters related to alcohol and the law by evaluating, testing and reporting to the Minister on the scientific acceptability of breath analysis equipment used to determine the blood alcohol content of a person suspected of impaired driving; and the Drugs and Driving Committee which conducts and monitors research in a number of areas including the driving of a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs. Advice from this Committee assists in responding to outstanding policy issues related to drugs and driving.

The organization is committed to the achievement of several primary objectives which address the role of the provincial courts as integral players in the delivery of justice to the citizens of Canada. These include: monitoring the status of provincially-appointed judges, acting as an advisory and consultative body to governments and other agencies involved in reforming the system of justice, and being an educator and disseminator of information to judges across the country. The organization supports and advocates for judicial independence, bilingualism, and respect for equality and diversity, concepts necessary to the proper administration of justice in Canada.

The organization aims to harmonize the laws of the provinces and territories of Canada, and where appropriate the federal laws as well. It also makes recommendations for changes to federal criminal legislation based on identified deficiencies, defects or gaps in the existing law, or based on problems created by judicial interpretation of existing law. The organization also launched the Commercial Law Strategy, which aims to modernize and harmonize Canadian commercial law.

The activities of the organization support justice related activities that respond to justice priorities particularly in the areas of: protecting victims of crime, in particular children who suffer sexual exploitation; human trafficking, especially women and children; helping to develop more cost effective and fair justice systems in Canada and abroad; promoting effective international cooperation in tackling transnational organized crime and corruption; and, mental health issues in the criminal justice system.

Provide financial assistance to an individual Canadian victim of a specified serious violent crime in a foreign jurisdiction for emergency situations of undue hardship where no other source of financial assistance is available (specified categories of crimes are homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault or assault with serious personal violence, or threat of serious violence, including against a child) or to an individual support person to accompany, attend with or support a Canadian victimized in a foreign jurisdiction. A total of 11 individuals received financial assistance in this regard.

Jurisidictional funding agreement for State-Funded Counsel in New Brunswick.

Five-year cost-shared agreement between Canada and the Province of Alberta for the delivery of criminal legal aid. Alberta's five-year allocation for criminal legal aid will be $98,837,446. Alberta will also receive an additional $8,486,935 in 2023-24 from the $60 million announced in Budget 2022 for criminal legal aid. This additional funding is subject to the approval by the Treasury Board of Canada and the appropriation of funds by the Parliament of Canada.

Five-year cost-shared agreement between Canada and the Province of Manitoba for the delivery of criminal legal aid. Manitoba's five-year allocation for criminal legal aid will be $42,614,405. Manitoba will also receive an additional $3,627,860 in 2023-24 from the $60 million announced in Budget 2022 for criminal legal aid. This additional funding is subject to the approval by the Treasury Board of Canada and the appropriation of funds by the Parliament of Canada.