Earlier this month, CBC reported on staff layoffs planned by the Legal Services Society in British Columbia's Lower Mainland, which will mean the closure of a family law clinic in downtown Vancouver and other service delivery cutbacks.   Even though demand for legal aid is increasing, funding is not, especially with declining investment income from funding organizations. 

To read the news article, go to: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/01/13/bc-legal-aid-funding-crunch.html.   The BC Branch issued a news release in response, which is available on its web site at: http://www.cba.org/BC/Public_Media/news_2009/news_01_16_09.aspx.  There is a link  to the statement issued by the Legal services Society.

This will have a real impact on access to justice by a vulnerable segment of the BC population.