increase in bursary funding

Background
 
As part of the March 2026 Memorandum of Settlement that the Association of Legal Aid Lawyers (A.L.L.) negotiated with the government and Legal Aid BC (LABC), LABC will provide additional funding to its existing bursary program over the next three years. The funding will support “eligible lawyers” in covering the costs of Continuing Professional Development, training, and education. While LABC provided some similar funding previously, the amounts negotiated in this settlement are now guaranteed.
 
Note: this funding is available to all legal aid lawyers and not just ALL members.

Amount of Funding

The amounts allocated to the Bursary Program shall be at least:
 
2026/27: $110,000.00

2027/28: $110, 000.00

2028/29 onward: $150,000.00
 
Criteria

1. Lawyers must have taken a minimum of three contracts;
2. LABC has indicated that they consider a balanced range of courses across the different areas of law, including criminal, family, and immigration; and
3. Funding decisions are based on the approved courses available and the overall budget available.

 
A.L.L.’s Role
 
LABC has provided the list of courses approved this year and indicated that they are open to suggestions from A.L.L. members for additional training. Please review the list below and provide details of additional courses you would like them to consider funding. Please note the funding is available to reimburse the cost of the course but not travel, accommodation or other expenses.
 
Timeline
 
For this year, A.L.L is required to submit its proposed course list for review and approval to LABC by September 25, 2026.
 
Going forward, the deadline will be April 30 each year. If new training opportunities arise after that date, A.L.L. can submit additional course recommendations throughout the year for consideration as needed.
 
Current List of Courses Approved by LABC for the Bursary Program
 
Below is a list of bursary program courses for this fiscal year:

To add your suggestions
 
To add courses to the list for LABC’s consideration, please use this link: https://forms.gle/PU9tkNpDmfToMUHR8
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