Alberta’s government is committed to supporting Alberta families, improving access to justice and investing in the family justice system. This includes expanding services that help Albertans resolve their family law issues in a manner that promotes family well-being while reducing pressure on the courts. An online survey is open until Dec. 20 for Albertans to share their views and experiences on how family justice services could better support their needs.
“Accessing family justice services can be challenging during difficult times, which is why it’s so important to have a streamlined and consistent process. Alberta’s government is committed to improving the family justice system, and we want to hear directly from Albertans about what’s working and what needs improvement. If you’ve used family justice services, we encourage you to share your feedback by taking this survey.”
Family justice services include services like mediation and family court counsellors as a first step to seeking a divorce or resolving spousal support, parenting or child support issues. These pre-court services help Albertans address their family law matters through simpler and less adversarial processes.
“Family justice services, such as mediation, play a vital role in helping families resolve conflicts and find better solutions collaboratively. Mediation fosters constructive communication and reduces conflict, making it an essential resource for families navigating challenging situations. Hearing directly from those who use these services is critical for driving meaningful improvements. I encourage all Albertans to share their insights by participating in the survey.”
“The perspectives of Albertans on their experiences within the family justice system are incredibly important. Just as resolving family conflict necessitates dialogue and collaboration, the family justice system operates as a partnership among the government, family justice service providers, and the families who use the services. We commend the government's efforts to engage with both service providers and families and we hope as many Albertans as possible will make their voices heard.”
Recent investments in family justice include a $5-million investment in Budget 2023 to expand pre-court services in Edmonton and Calgary. This focus on pre-court services, called the Family Justice Strategy, will be expanded to Red Deer in early 2025, following an additional $3-million investment in Budget 2024.
In addition to these investments, Alberta’s government launched the Alberta Family Resolution Hub in December 2023. This is an online tool available across the province to help Albertans explore their options and next steps for addressing a family law matter.
Alberta’s government held roundtable discussions in October with a diverse group of legal, clinical, academic and community experts to gather their input on the Family Justice Strategy. Together, the public survey and roundtable discussions will help government gain a better understanding of how the family justice system is working, evaluate the success of the Family Justice Strategy in Edmonton and Calgary so far and plan for the implementation of the strategy in Red Deer in early 2025.
Quick facts
- The online survey is open from Nov. 22 to Dec. 20.
- As of October 2024, 48,156 Albertans accessed pre-court services through the Family Justice Strategy, and 26,805 used the Alberta Family Resolution Hub for the first time.
- During the same period, Alberta Justice dispute resolution programs such as mediation saw a 13-per cent increase in the number of matters resolved outside the traditional court system compared with the previous year.
Related information
Related news
- Increasing access to family justice services (Dec. 1, 2023)
- Empowering Albertans dealing with family law matters (April 15, 2024)