Canadian Family Justice Fund: Projects component

Overview

The Canadian Family Justice Fund contributes financial assistance for family justice activities that inform Canadians about family law topics such as parenting arrangements and child/spousal support. It also supports the development of new strategies, models and tools intended to improve access to family justice.

The Projects component is designed to support:

Who is eligible?

Any of the following may be eligible for funding for projects/activities under the Projects component of the Canadian Justice Family Fund:

Fund Priorities

The Canadian Family Justice Fund has been designed to address specific priorities. Under the Projects component, a minimum of one priority, listed below, must be addressed in the workplan:

Supporting Well-being of Family Members:

This priority includes activities that help support the overall well-being of family members engaging with the family justice system including:

  • The emotional well-being of family members, for example so that parents understand the importance of focusing on their children's best interests in parenting matters, and/or communicating more effectively with the other parent;
  • The economic well-being of family members which contributes to poverty reduction;
  • The physical well-being of family members, in particular in cases of family violence.
Reaching Diverse and Underserved Populations:

This priority supports access to family justice for diverse and underserved populations such as: Indigenous communities, newcomers to Canada, Official Language minorities, individuals whose primary language is neither English nor French, and rural and northern populations.

Supporting Alternatives to Court:

This priority includes programs and services that support alternatives to court that reduce their need in family law matters, including the need for courts to adjudicate contested family law matters.

Improving and Streamlining Family Justice System Links/Processes

This priority supports the simplification of family court processes, information sharing between courts and family justice services, improved coordination with other parts of the justice system.

Eligible Activities/Projects

The following are examples of eligible activities funded under the Canadian Family Justice Fund.

Eligible activities for provincial and territorial governments:

Innovative ways for development, implementation and evaluation of family justice services and programs. These would include:

  • Development of administrative recalculation services; and
  • Use of technology to facilitate access to information about family justice.
  • Project for innovation in family justice programs/services
Eligible activities for provincial and territorial governments, not-for-profit organizations, associations, academic institutions and individuals:

Public Legal Education Information (PLEI) to support information and awareness of family law issues, such as:

  • Information sessions on parental roles and responsibilities;
  • Developing plain language materials on the family justice system (process, legislation);
  • Developing materials on the family justice system, including services available in the minority language communities;
  • Revising existing print material for parents (e.g., how to obtain variations, going to court, custody and access obligations);
  • Developing information resources that meet the needs of high conflict separating or divorcing families including situations of domestic violence; and
  • Developing new materials and approaches to educate children and youth about family justice issues.

Professional training to support continuing education efforts for professionals and intermediaries on separation and divorce, parenting arrangements, spousal and child support, and support enforcement measures. Examples of such activities include:

  • Development of continuing education programs on family justice issues, particularly those focusing on financial support and parenting after separation;
  • Training for professionals, intermediaries and service providers to keep up to date on these issues;
  • Training for professionals, intermediaries and service providers that help meet the needs of hard to reach and minority language communities; and
  • Continuing to inform new professionals, intermediaries and service providers on family law reforms and issues related to family justice.

Innovative strategies, models or tools intended to improve access to family justice. These would include:

  • Development of interactive online education tools;
  • Development of screening or assessment tools for professionals to assist them in helping families through separation and divorce;
  • Research activities related to PLEI or professional training; and
  • Initiatives to better coordinate family justice system responses to the needs of families, including in situations where there has been high conflict and/or family violence (eg. better coordination of community resources).

Points to Consider

The Department of Justice supports numerous funding programs. Applications will be reviewed carefully to determine linkages to other initiatives or programs so that funding can be shared when appropriate

Each province and territory is responsible for the administration of family justice within their jurisdiction. They are also primarily responsible for publicly funded family justice services (eg. mediation and parent education). As a result, where a proposed project or activity is local, regional, provincial or territorial in nature, a letter of support from the appropriate provincial or territorial government may be required.

As funds are limited, it is not possible to fund all projects that meet the eligibility criteria. Projects that demonstrate that they can best meet the needs of the Department in any given fiscal year will be given priority consideration.

Terms and Conditions

The Terms and Conditions provide important information on the Canadian Family Justice Fund and eligibility criteria you will need to know before completing your application for funding.

How to Apply for Funding

To apply for funding, contact the Department of Justice Canada's Programs Branch.

Canada Family Justice Fund
Programs Branch, Department of Justice Canada
284 Wellington
Ottawa ON K1A 0H8
pb-dgp@justice.gc.ca