Evaluation of Federal Support for Family Justice

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Results of the evaluation indicate that there is a strong continued need for federal support to strengthen the family justice system and continuing improvements in family justice will be required to meet the ongoing demand for services, respond to societal and technological changes, and address key issues. Given its expertise in family justice, well-established tools and services as well as strong relationships, the Department is well positioned to align family justice activities with federal government priorities and to respond to key issues.

Evidence demonstrates that the Department implements a well-integrated approach to address the needs of Canadians in matters of family justice. Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of a system as complex as the family justice system requires a coordinated and multifaceted approach. The Department provides legal and policy advice and analysis, facilitates collaboration between stakeholders, promotes public and professional awareness and understanding of key issues, increases access to services, and supports the implementation of enforcement and divorce-related activities at the PT level.

The evaluation also shows that available funds have been administered efficiently. The costs associated with administering Gs&Cs have declined significantly over the past decade. In addition, departmental expenditures on family justice have remained relatively stable over the past four years. The existing salary and O&M funding is generally sufficient to effectively deliver the core services as they currently exist.

The evaluation also concludes that federal support has advanced the family justice system. The Department has provided significant contributions to the development of family law policy and proposed legislation, such as Bill C-78 and expert legal advice regarding family law. Given its shared jurisdiction, the complexity of the justice system, and the large numbers of stakeholders, collaboration is an essential ingredient for an effective family justice system. The Department has been effective in collaborating with provinces and territories on matters specific to family justice, particularly through its work with CCSO-FJ and financial support through the SFF and CFJF.

Although significant progress has been made in strengthening the family justice system, public awareness of family justice issues and processes could be improved by increasing access to information targeted at specific sub-groups and issues, making more information available and continuing efforts to simplify processes and language. Providing increased access for diverse and underserved populations is a key priority for the CFJF. It should be noted that this is a new priority of the CFJF implemented in 2017 and as such advancements in this area are in the early stages.

In light of the findings of the evaluation, one key recommendation has been made. 

Recommendation

It is recommended that Justice Canada continue to provide support to programs and services that extend reach to diverse and underserved populations for the resolution of family law matters. More specifically, it is recommended that Justice Canada develop and implement a plan including: