A2J Repository
Nationwide Resources
Purpose
Improving access to justice takes national collaboration. The A2J Repository brings together proven tools, frameworks, and reports from across Canada—resources designed to support innovation and impact from coast to coast. This growing collection helps organizations learn from each other, scale what works, and strengthen justice efforts nationwide.
“The road we travel is equal in importance to the destination we seek. There are no shortcuts. When it comes to truth and reconciliation, we are all forced to go the distance.”
– Justice Murray Sinclair
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action in 2015 to address the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG): Final Report
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) released its Final Report, Reclaiming Power and Place, in 2019. The inquiry documented the experiences of over 2380 individuals, including family members, survivors, experts, and Knowledge Keepers, gathered through public hearings and evidence collection over two years.
Canada’s Black Justice Strategy
Canada’s Black Justice Strategy is a federal initiative aimed at addressing systemic anti-Black racism within the criminal justice system. Developed in consultation with Black communities across the country, the strategy responds to longstanding concerns about the overrepresentation of Black individuals as both victims and accused persons in the justice system.
Report: Access to Justice Metrics Informed by the Voices of Marginalized Community Members: Themes, Definitions, and Recommendations Arising from Community Consultations (Canadian Bar Association 2013)
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada issued 94 Calls to Action in 2015 to address the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation.
Reaching Equal Justice: An Invitation to Envision & Act
The Canadian Bar Association’s “Reaching Equal Justice” Summary Report presents a national action plan to close the access to justice gap in Canada, especially for low-income and marginalized communities. It outlines a bold, multi-layered strategy focused on three key pathways: improving “everyday justice” through legal education and early intervention tools; transforming the court system to be more user-friendly and efficient; and reinventing how legal services are delivered, including through technology, pro bono work, and expanded legal aid.
Access to Civil & Family Justice: A Roadmap for Change
The Access to Civil and Family Justice Report highlights the urgent need for systemic reform in Canada’s justice system, which is currently too complex, slow, and costly to meet the needs of the public—especially for low-income and vulnerable communities.
National Action Committee on Access to Justice’s Justice Development Goals (2023)
The Justice Development Goals (JDG) 2024 Report highlights national progress in improving access to justice, with 380 projects led by 253 organizations across Canada.
Rural and Remote Access to Justice: A Literature Review
The Rural & Remote Access to Justice Literature Review highlights the unique barriers faced by Canadians living outside urban centers, including limited legal services, infrastructure challenges, and geographic isolation.
Still Waiting for Disruption: Final Report
The Still Waiting for Disruption (SWD) 2020 Report from OCAD University examines why legal technology has yet to significantly improve access to justice in Canada.
Voices Matter: The Impact of Serious Legal Problems on 16- To 30-Year-Olds in the Black Community
The 2021 report Voices Matter: The Impact of Serious Legal Problems on 16- to 30-Year-Olds in the Black Community examines the experiences of Black youth in Ottawa and Toronto facing significant legal challenges.
Experiences of Discrimination Among the Black and Indigenous Populations in Canada, 2019
The 2022 Statistics Canada report shows that nearly half of Black Canadians experienced discrimination in the past five years, with 41% facing race-based bias—much higher than the general population. Canadian-born Black individuals reported more discrimination than Black immigrants. Police interactions were a common source of discrimination for both Black and Indigenous people.
