Public Legal Education (PLE)

The WRC helps Alberta workers through advocacy, a Casework Program, and Public Legal Education. If you need help with an employment issue, the WRC is ready to help.

Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice for individuals with low income. If you need legal information and advice on: Family issues; Criminal issues; Civil issues; Restraining Orders; Emergency Protection Orders etc; Social Benefit issues; and; an evening course on Do Your Own Divorce.

Calgary Legal Guidance runs many workshops and presentations in the community on a variety of legal topics such as:

• Family Law
• Wills & Estates
• Landlord & Tenant

If you are an organization or agency that would like a presentation on a legal topic please contact Kim Feodoroff at  403.716.6476.

The National Self-Represented Litigants Project (NSRLP) is committed to advancing understanding of the challenges and hard choices facing the very large numbers of Canadians who come to court without counsel. The Project works to promote dialogue and collaboration among all those affected by the self-represented litigant phenomenon, both justice system professionals and litigants themselves. They publish resources designed specifically for SRLs, as well as research reports that examine the implications for the justice system.

This page will connect you to public legal information materials produced by Legal Aid BC. Most publications are available as PDFs or print copies may be ordered. Some are available in other languages.

Provides legal information on a variety of topics in plain language to the people of British Columbia. Publications can be accessed in a variety of formats, including videos, online wikibooks, and downloadable epubs and PDFs. Print copies may be ordered. Many are available in other languages.

The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta produces and distributes booklets and pamphlets that explain the law in plain language. Topics areas include: Landlord and tenant; Real estate; Wills and estates; Registered charities; Elder abuse; and Law-related education materials for schools. Publications are available to download as PDFs or print copies may be ordered. 

In February 2002, the Department of Justice Canada contracted with the Muriel McKing Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research to develop an inventory of strategies and methods used in sharing family violence law information with people living in rural areas. The inventory categorizes the various methods and makes recommendations regarding most promising practices. Ultimately this inventory is intended to serve as a blueprint for agencies that deliver family violence information in rural areas. This PDF (59 pages, 2002) is available for free download.

The “Just Between You and Me” project was designed to provide Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) peer support to women who had experienced family violence and assess its validity as a model for PLEI delivery. The goal of the project was that the peers would then share this information within their own networks of family, co-workers and communities, using resources already developed and existing in their areas. This PDF (56 pages, 2004) is available for free download.

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA) is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, mandated to work with vulnerable young people. 

This includes young people receiving or attempting to access services under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and the Protection of Sexually Exploited Children Act; or who are involved with the youth justice system. 

The Community Legal Education Ontario Centre (CLEO) for Research & Innovation conducts research and initiates projects to help build the capacity of the community sector to reach marginalized communities with effective legal information. The Centre is a pilot project established in 2010 with funding from the Law Foundation of Ontario.

The Latin American Community Council and MOSAIC, in partnership, have implemented this online multilingual legal resource to provide comprehensive and critical legal information in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese to Canadian newcomers and community workers in British Columbia.

The BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (BearPaw Education) is a program offered by Native Counselling Services of Alberta and funded by the Alberta Law Foundation aimed at helping Aboriginal people navigate the legal system and gain awareness of their legal rights. The BearPaw Education’s mandate is to promote awareness of the legal rights and obligations of Aboriginal people living in Alberta and to enhance Aboriginal peoples’ connection and access to justice. 

Calgary Legal Guidance provides free legal advice for individuals with low income. If you need legal information and advice on: Family issues; Criminal issues; Civil issues; Restraining Orders; Emergency Protection Orders etc; Social Benefit issues; and; an evening course on Do Your Own Divorce.

The Legal Resource Centre of Alberta Ltd. operates as the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta. Its mission is to enhance the accessibility and quality of justice realized in Canada. It addresses its mission by creating learning opportunities and building learning communities that facilitate the creation, management, exchange, and integration of knowledge among people within the justice system and between them and the general public. Delivery of legal information to the public is primarily through publications and topic-specific websites; some are specifically for Alberta, others have a national focus.

The Portage College Public Legal Education Program is a public service initiative offered in partnership with the Alberta Law Foundation. The program offers learning opportunities to individuals, families, and communities throughout North Eastern Alberta through the provision of information, resources, and education on a variety of legal topics. All requests for information are confidential. The program also offers legal education presentations and seminars throughout North Eastern Alberta in communities, agencies, and schools. For program updates and workshops see: https://mailchi.mp/db001ef43930/portage-college-public-legal-education-newsletter-2543565