Lawyers and Albertans
Speak Up Against Bill 39
For over 50 years, the Alberta Law Foundation has been the primary funder of access to justice in the province — supporting more than 65 non-profits that serve vulnerable Albertans.
Now, Bill 39 is putting that support at risk.
Under this legislation, the Government of Alberta:Gains direct oversight of grants over $250,000, affecting nearly all of the Foundation’s funding decisions.Doubles the Foundation’s required contributions to Legal Aid Alberta, effectively allowing the government to reduce its own share.
The result? Core community programs are losing funding — with serious impacts on Indigenous families, survivors of violence, rural residents, and newcomers.
Click here to see what funding has already been cut.
Click here or scroll down to see how your community is affected.
Join us in calling on the government to reverse course and restore funding for essential access to justice — when Albertans need it most. Call your MLA.
Call Your MLA at the Legislature
Not sure who your MLA is? Look them up here.
Tell the Alberta Legislature that you need to speak to your MLA regarding a legislative matter (not a constituent matter).
Call Ministers
Call your MLA at their Constituency Office
What to say to my MLA
- Hello, my name is ____ and I’m calling as a [concerned Albertan].
- I’m reaching out about Bill 39 and the significant changes it proposes to the Legal Profession Act.
- I am very concerned that this bill goes far beyond budget decisions. It represents a politicization of legal funding and poses a serious threat to the independence of Alberta’s justice system.
- Bill 39 puts vital community-based legal services at risk, including those that serve Indigenous communities, newcomers, youth, and low-income Albertans.
- Redirecting client-generated trust interest to cover government funding shortfalls undermines a long-standing model that has supported both the legal profession and the public for decades.
- These changes divert resources from over 65 non-profit legal organizations across the province — and introduce political interference into funding decisions that should remain independent and nonpartisan.
- I was especially alarmed to learn that the Minister has already used new powers under this legislation to cut nearly half of the Alberta Law Foundation’s board-approved grants.
- I urge you to oppose this legislation, advocate for a more sustainable, collaborative solution, and commit to meaningful consultation with the legal community and affected organizations.
- Thank you for taking my concerns seriously.
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How is your community impacted by Bill 39?
Bill 39 gives the government new power to overrule the Alberta Law Foundation’s decisions — and communities are already paying the price. Despite the Minister promising that increased Legal Aid funding wouldn't come at the expense of community programs, nearly $10 million in local legal aid funding has been denied or reduced. These cuts impact services for Indigenous families, survivors of violence, rural residents, and newcomers across Alberta.
Hover over the map to see how your community is affected, and take action.
Major cuts have already hit these communities. Call their MLAs to speak out.
- $1,912,804 of pre-approved funding denied to Central Alberta.
Call MLA Jason Stephan: 403 340-3565
- $863,920 of pre-approved funding denied to Lethbridge.
Call Minister of Affordability Nathan Neudorf: 403 320-1011
- $384,739 of pre-approved funding denied to Medicine Hat region.
Call Premier Danielle Smith: 403 527-5622
- $336,350 of pre-approved funding denied to Grande Prairie.
Call MLA Ron Wiebe: 403 740-4338
- $79,855 of pre-approved funding denied to Red Deer region.
Call MLA Jennifer Johnson: 403 782-7725
Help spread the word on social media
Bill 39 is now in second reading in the Alberta Legislature, and with it comes significant changes to how legal services are funded in this province.As legal professionals, we have a responsibility to protect the systems that support access to justice. This legislation threatens the independence of legal funding and puts vital services at risk.Contact your MLA and speak up: action.albertalawfoundation.org
@AlbertaLawFoundation
#LawyersForJustice #LegalCommunity #Bill39 #JusticeMatters #ABLaw
Reconciliation includes investing in Indigenous justice.Bill 39 risks cutting off the funding for legal services that have been built by and for Indigenous people in Alberta. These programs are not political, they are necessary.Giving government the power to veto major legal grants will make it harder for Indigenous organizations to lead change.This isn’t the path forward. We urge the province to listen to those raising their voices for access to justice and to honour its responsibilities.Contact your MLA and speak up: action.albertalawfoundation.org
@AlbertaLawFoundation
#IndigenousJustice #Reconciliation #Bill39 #ABPoli
What’s happening in Alberta should matter to the whole legal community.Bill 39 threatens the independence of legal funding by shifting costs from government to a law foundation — and adding political approval for major grants.This legislation would undermine community-based legal supports, including Indigenous justice programs and public legal education.We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in Alberta who are speaking out to protect access to justice.Learn more: action.albertalawfoundation.org
@AlbertaLawFoundation
#Bill39 #JusticeMatters #LegalCommunity
Bill 39 should be a wake-up call for Alberta’s legal community.It proposes adding political control over major grants, and cuts funding for Legal Aid—push the burden to the Alberta Law Foundation.This isn’t about efficiencies. It’s about who decides how legal services are funded, and who gets left out when those decisions are politicized.We have a responsibility to speak out.Contact your MLA: action.albertalawfoundation.org
@AlbertaLawFoundation
#Bill39 #ABLaw #LegalProfession #JusticeMatters #AccessToJustice
Resignations from board members appointed by the Minister of Justice
Alberta Law Foundation Raises Alarm Over Bill 39, Citing Political Interference and Risk to Legal Services
