Department of Justice Canada

The National Justice Survey is an annual public opinion research survey conducted to explore Canadians’ perceptions and knowledge of justice-related issues. Findings from the survey are used to inform policy development, public engagement, and communications.

This study was undertaken by the Department of Justice Canada to better understand how Gladue reports are being prepared across the country and how they and Gladue principles are being considered by the courts. The study involved an environmental scan of public websites and a review of 530 cases...

This report describes the findings from the 2022–2023 CAC/CYAC National Operational Survey. Given that many new CACs/CYACs have been established in the eight years since the last operational survey, the purpose of the survey was to provide an updated national picture of how CACs/CYACs work, their...

Purpose of the toolkit This toolkit was developed with input from family law and family violence experts from across Canada. It is designed to: Respond to research calling for a tool designed specifically for family law legal advisers to use in identifying and responding to family violence;...

Child-to-parent violence and aggression (CPVA) is described as a form of family violence characterized by a pattern (as opposed to a single incident) of violent and aggressive behaviours in children and youth towards their parents or primary caregivers. These behaviours may have several...

The Department of Justice Canada has been leading efforts to modernize the federal Privacy Act, which is a key piece of Canada’s legal framework for protecting privacy interests. As part of this work, Justice Canada undertook an initial engagement with Indigenous governments and organizations...

This report presents findings on the representation and outcomes of Black people as accused in Canadian criminal courts. This is the first time that national statistics on Black accused in criminal courts are reported in Canada.

The Department of Justice Canada has contracted community-based research to better understand the lives of individuals involved in the sex trade. The former 2014 legislation, Bill C-36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, also known as the “Nordic” model or approach, targets...

During January and early February 2020, the Government of Canada launched consultations on medical assistance in dying (MAID). The online consultation, which was a short questionnaire, was open to all members of the public from the morning of Monday, January 13th through to midnight on Monday,...

The Department of Justice Canada (JUS) began a review of the criminal justice system (CJS) in 2015 to support the mandate of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (Office of the Prime Minister, 2015). The performance of the system was a key focus. The State of the Criminal...

In January 2011, federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Deputy Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety approved the creation of a joint family and criminal Ad Hoc Working Group on Family Violence to examine how the family, child protection, and criminal sectors of the justice system...

The 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. In keeping with the purpose of this Act to provide the legal framework for developing and...

Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) became law in Canada on December 18, 2018. This amendment to the Criminal Code allowed police to demand a breath test of any driver even in the absence of suspicion or cause. MAS introduced a fundamental change in the approach used by police officers to enforce...

In 2018, Parliament enacted former Bill C-46, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, S.C. 2018, c. 21 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) to create new and stronger laws to combat impaired driving. The Act...

This report presents findings on the representation and outcomes of Indigenous people as accused in Canadian criminal courts. This is the first time that national statistics on Indigenous accused in criminal courts are reported in Canada. This study addresses four key objectives: Identify whether...

The courts are a pillar of Canada’s democracy, an essential service to Canadians, and a critical support to economic activity. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, courts were forced to significantly curtail operations in response to physical distancing and other public health and...

This report provides a review of recent developments in regulatory action and program activity aimed at improving access to justice through assistance provided by non-lawyers in community-based not-for-profit settings. We call this type of assistance “community justice help”. The purpose of this...

The Department of Justice Canada Research and Statistics Division, in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials - Family Justice Research Sub-committee, reviewed research and evaluation studies on the use of technology in the family justice system. The purpose of the...

This study uses data from the Measures to Address Prostitution Initiative (MAPI) to present some of the socio-demographic characteristics and experiences of people who provide or have provided sexual services in Canada’s sex trade and received support services through organizations funded by the...

This report examines the impact of the lack of access to legal aid in family law cases in Canada. The objective is to identify challenges that people face in accessing justice for family law disputes in the absence of legal aid, and to analyze the impacts of the lack of access to family legal aid...