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www.canadianlawyermag.com 9 Future of legal aid Legal aid clinics are still struggling with budget cuts, despite the prime minister's funding promise PRIME MINISTER Justin Trudeau announced in August a one-time federal contribution to Ontario's legal aid services, amid budget cuts from the provincial government. While the multi-million-dollar funding boost was "good news" for many Ontarians, clinics that serve groups such as tenants, low-wage workers and people with disabil- ities say they are still fighting for survival. "[W]e applaud the federal government for making this investment. However, it is only a one-time investment and we need the federal and provincial government to come together to work out a permanent solution to the issue of funding for immigration services," says Lenny Abramowicz, executive director of the Association of Community Legal Clinics of Ontario. The prime minister's office said the federal government will allocate $25.7 million toward immigration and refugee legal aid in Ontario, as well as $1.16 million to British Columbia and $20,000 to Manitoba. Trudeau said in a statement that the government is "stepping in" because "in Ontario, provincial cuts have thrown these vital services into jeopardy." On April 11, the Ontario government announced a provincial budget that included $133 million less in funding to Legal Aid Ontario this year. Parkdale Community Legal Services said it had laid off about 40 per cent of its staff as a result of budget cuts by LAO. PCLS noted that, despite the new federal funding, LAO's $14.5-million shortfall in community legal aid clinic budgets has still not been restored. Make your CPD hours count. There are many options for CPD. Don't take the first thing that crosses your desk. Choose OsgoodePD and make it count. Explore our upcoming live and on demand programs: osgoodepd.ca/cpd-2019 OSGOODE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION Considering your learning needs and budget, OsgoodePD programs are relevant, insightful and most importantly, worth your time. Whether it's an online or in person update on recent developments, a one-day conference, or Certificate program to sharpen your skills and deepen your knowledge, we make sure you're getting the most out of your professional development experience. Students at the University of Toronto also said Downtown Legal Services was facing decreased funding not only through LAO but also due to educational policy changes. At an Aug. 14 meeting, Attorney General Doug Downey "expressed a desire to know not only the impact of the budget cuts but also the solutions that may be available within the limited resources that we have as a government/society," according to a report by the Federation of Ontario Law Associations, which also said that legislation modernizing the Legal Aid Services Act is expected this fall.