Confidence in the Canadian Family Justice System 2022

Key findings from the 2022 National Justice Survey

The percentage of Canadians reporting ‘moderate’ confidence in the family justice system (FJS) has been decreasing over time, with views shifting towards higher and lower confidence.

Breakdown of respondents’ confidence that the FJS is fair to all people

• 2022: 48% not confident; 27% moderately confident; 18% confident
• 2021: 45% not confident; 34% moderately confident; 14% confident
• 2019*: 43% not confident; 36% moderately confident; 15% confident

In 2022, 18% of respondents reported being confident (a rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale) that the family justice system was fair to all people; up from 14% in 2021.

The percentage of Canadians who are not confident that the FJS is fair to all people has been steadily increasing from 43% in 2019 to 48% in 2022.

Breakdown of respondents’ confidence that the FJS is accessible to all people

• 2022: 37% not confident; 30% moderately confident; 26% confident
• 2021: 40% not confident; 34% moderately confident; 18% confident
• 2019*: 31% not confident; 38% moderately confident; 24% confident

*2019 Results were obtained from the 2021 National Justice Survey Question: Thinking back to before the pandemic was declared in the middle of March 2020, how confident were you that the Canadian family justice system was…[fair to all people],[accessible to all people]?

In 2022, 26% of respondents were confident that the family justice system was accessible to all people; up from 18% in 2021.

Canadians with greater self-reported knowledge of the FJS report higher confidence in the system

• Not knowledgeable: 11% fair; 16% accessible
• Moderately knowledgeable: 19% fair; 27% accessible
• Knowledgeable: 29% fair; 41% accessible

More than one-third of Canadians with self-reported involvement in the FJS report that the system is difficult to access

39% of Canadians with self-reported involvement in the FJS report that the system is difficult to access while 28% report that the system was easy to access.

Men are more likely than women to report being confident in the FJS

• Men: 20% fair; 29% accessible
• Women: 17% fair; 23% accessible

Indigenous people are less likely than White people to report being confident in the FJS

• Total Indigenous Population: 10% fair; 18% accessible
• First Nations: 7% fair; 17% accessible
• Inuit^: 7% fair; 21% accessible
• Métis: 12% fair; 19% accessible
• White: 16% fair; 25% accessible

^ Caution: small sample size (≤ 50)

Racialized people are more likely than White people to report being confident in the FJS

• Total Racialized Groups: 29% fair; 32% accessible
• Black: 22% fair; 28% accessible
• East Asian: 31% fair; 32% accessible
• Latino/Latina/Latinx: 26% fair; 32% accessible
• Middle Eastern and North African: 28% fair; 28% accessible
• South Asian: 31% fair; 35% accessible
• Southeast Asian: 38% fair; 39% accessible
• White: 16% fair; 25% accessible

People born outside of Canada are more likely than people born in Canada to report being confident in the FJS

• People born in Canada: 15% fair; 24% accessible
• People born outside of Canada: 30% fair; 33% accessible

Notes

1. Bars in graphs do not add to 100% (“Don’t know” responses are included in analysis but are not displayed).
2. Questions on confidence in the FJS were asked on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is “not at all confident” and 5 is “very confident.” In this infographic, the term “confidence” refers to a rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale.
3. Total Indigenous Population includes First Nations, Inuit and Métis respondents.
4. Total Racialized Groups includes Black, East Asian, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, Southeast Asian.