Content updated on June 20, 2024.
On May 31, 2024, legal aid eligibility thresholds were indexed, broadening access to it. Free access is also available to all children.
What is legal aid?
Québec’s legal aid system provides access to legal instruments so you can assert your rights. The services (either free or low-cost) are dispensed by attorneys or, less often, by notaries. The attorneys and notaries are mandated to advise their clients or to represent them in court, to, among other things:
- Contest a decision concerning benefits (automobile insurance, work-related accident, employment insurance, etc.);
- Contest an unreasonable rent hike;
- Obtain child support or custody;
- Defend the rights of children for whom an intervention by the Directeur de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ) occurred;
- File for divorce;
- Defend someone accused of a crime;
- Institute a tutorship for an incapacitated person;
- File for asylum (immigration).
Who qualifies for legal aid?
Free access to legal aid services is offered to:
- All children, regardless of their financial situation;
- Anyone who is arrested or being detained (24 hours/24);
- Last-resort assistance recipients;
- Adults with a low income.
The Rebâtir program offers 4 hours of free legal counsel for victims of sexual violence or domestic violence, regardless of their income.
For an independent adult, the maximum income allowed is equivalent to 35 minimum-wage hours. Maximum revenue varies depending on the family situation. Eligibility thresholds are adjusted every time the minimum wage changes.
There is also a contributory component for people whose income is slightly higher. They can receive legal services by paying $100 to $800 out of pocket.
Maximum gross annual income for access to legal aid
| Family situation | Free | Contributory |
|---|---|---|
| Independent adult: | $28,665 | $40,043 |
| Adult with a child: | $35,074 | $48,980 |
| Adult with more than one child: | $37,442 | $52,288 |
| Spouses without children: | $39,895 | $55,723 |
| Spouses with one child: | $44,638 | $62,345 |
| Spouses with more than one child: | $47,008 | $65,657 |
Note: the value of your assets, investments and property may be factored in. To see whether you qualify, use the online tool for that purpose.
Questions or problems?
To find out more, see the website of the Commission des services juridiques, the body that manages Québec’s legal aid system.
Have you been refused legal aid, or has it been taken from you, for no good reason, or so it seems? You have 30 days to apply to CSJ for a review.
Are you dissatisfied with legal aid or CSJ services? You can contact the legal aid office, the legal community centre concerned, or CSJ directly.
The Protecteur du citoyen handles complaints concerning Québec government departments and agencies, including the Ministère de la Justice. However, it does not have jurisdiction regarding the Commission des services juridiques (CSJ).
Also see: Has a government department or agency refused to provide you with a service or financial assistance?
