Active Support Against Poverty (ASAP) in Prince George has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the province that will allow them to host a legal clinic.
Attorney General David Eby told MyPGNow.com these services come in handy for those in a difficult spot.
“There are often moments in people’s lives where a little bit of legal assistance will help prevent them from becoming homeless or losing their kids or help anyone living in poverty. That is the hope of this clinic, we heard from a woman who avoided homelessness thanks to the newly funded lawyer.”
Eby adds BC was lagging behind other provinces when it came to legal clinics, something the Attorney General desperately wanted to change.
“It was really clear to me that as a law student and as a lawyer that other provinces had networks of these kinds of clinics for really clear reasons, they provide an opportunity for law students and junior lawyers to get experience and for senior lawyers to donate their services.”
Amber Mueller has already used the service after her landlord had taken her to arbitration.
She’s not sure where she would be right now if not for the legal clinic.
“I honestly would have been in a shelter with my kids and would not have known where I would have stored my stuff and would have had nowhere to go.”
ASAP Executive Director Audrey Schwartz runs a shelter in the northern capital and has witnessed first-hand the issues these residents face.
“We have seen people who have legal issues lose their housing for example and then not be able to afford the housing that is out there and where they end up is here at the shelter and that’s an unfortunate thing.”
“We have had people who are dealing with tenancy and estate issues along with employment assistance.”
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