Our Advocacy

The Clinic engages in advocacy and submissions on various topics related to access to justice, poverty law, and legal aid.

A few of our recent initiatives can be found below.

• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs Re Bill 288, Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021, May 25, 2021
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy re Bill 276, Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, 2021 (Schedule 27), May 19, 2021
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy Re Bill 251, Combating Human Trafficking Act, 2021, May 13, 2021
• Submission on Neskantaga Forest Management Unit, May 3, 2021
• Submission to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, re WSIA Coverage for Personal Support Workers and Developmental Support Workers, April 28, 2021
• Durham News, “Durham Legal Clinic offers free affidavits of residence,” April 23, 2021
• Submission to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) re Review of the Employment Insurance Program, April 9, 2021
• Submission on Working at Heights Training Standards Five-Year Review, March 25, 2021
• Submission on proposed amendment to O. Reg. 131/16 (Sexual Violence at Colleges and Universities), March 15, 2021 (jointly with Northumberland Community Legal Centre)
• Submissions on Bill 245, Accelerating Access to Justice Act, 2021, March 12, 2021
• Joint Statement with the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) on Systemic Anti-Black Racism within Durham Region Schools, March 10, 2021
• Submissions to the OHSA Incident Reporting Project, Feb. 12, 2021
• Intervention at Supreme Court of Canada in City of Toronto v. Attorney General of Ontario (reply to motion for leave) (factum)
• Submissions Re Consumer Protection Act Review, Feb. 1, 2021
• Letter to MPPs re Social Assistance, Feb. 1, 2021
• Submission to the Ministry of Labour re Temporary Help Sector, Jan. 29, 2021
• Submissions to Ministry of Health re Amendment of Regulation O. Reg. 329/04 (General) under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), Dec. 30, 2020
• Letter to Durham Region’s Medical Officer of Health, Re Powers to Suspect Residential Evictions, Dec. 21, 2020
• Joint Letter to MAG Court Services, Re Enforcement of Landlord and Tenant Board Eviction Orders During Stay Period or Pending Decision on Request for Stay, Dec. 1, 2020
• Submissions to the Ministry of Labour, Re Working at Heights Training, Nov. 20, 2020
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy Re Bill 218, Supporting Ontario’s Recovery Act, 2020, Nov. 4, 2020
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy Re Bill 168, Combating Antisemitism Act, 2020
• Submissions to Standing Committee on Social Policy Re Bill 202, Soldiers’ Aid Commission Act, 2020, Oct. 22, 2020
• Ontario Private Sector, Privacy Reform, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Oct. 16, 2020
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills Re Bill 201, Magna Carta Day Act (In Memory of Julia Munro, MPP), 2020, Oct. 14, 2020,
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy Re Bill 207, Moving Ontario Family Law Forward Act, 2020, Oct. 13, 2020
• Proposal for Changes to the Interpretation Guidelines of the Landlord and Tenant Board of Ontario re: the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis, Sept. 23, 2020 (via Community Legal Services of Ottawa)
• (Joint) Open Letter to Government re Evidence-based Drug Possession, Updated Sept. 21, 2020
• Durham Community Legal Clinic partnering with digital estate-planner, Sept. 16, 2020
• Part 1, Made-in-Ontario Access to Justice, Sept. 15, 2020; Part 2, New Legal Services Providers are Welcome, Sept. 24, 2020
• Joint Letter to the Justice Minister about Diversity in the Judiciary, Sept. 14, 2020 (French version)
• Submissions to the Ministry of the Attorney General regarding Mandatory Mediation in Ontario, Sept. 11, 2020
• Letter from MP Jennifer O’Connell (Pickering—Uxbridge) to Attorney General Doug Downey, Sept. 2, 2020
• Submissions to the Ministry of the Attorney General regarding the creation of small estates under the Estates Act, Aug. 23, 2020
• Submissions on Proposed Changes to the Landlord Tenant Board, Aug. 20, 2020
• Submissions on Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, Aug. 8, 2020
• Submissions to the Attorney General of Ontario on the Libel and Slander Act, Aug. 1, 2020
• Submissions to Standing Committee on Social Policy of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Re Bill 184, June 24, 2020
• Letter to MP Ryan Turnbull (Whitby) Re COVID-19 Shortfall, July 23, 2020, and Letter from MP Ryan Turnbull to Min. Lametti, July 23, 2020
• Submissions to Attorney General of Ontario on Civil Juries, June 15, 2020
• Submissions to the Attorney General of Ontario on Bill 190 Regulations, June 12, 2020
• Submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Re Bill 161, Smarter and Stronger Justice Act, 2020, June 11, 2020
• Letter to Durham Regional Police Services Re Evictions, April 7, 2020
• Letter to the Attorney General Calling for Cessation of Evictions during COVID-19, March 17, 2020
• Editorial in Canadian Lawyer on Criminal Injuries Compensation Board reform, Oct. 7, 2019
• Letter Re Social Assistance Reforms, Sept. 26, 2019 (response from Hon. Todd Smith, Nov. 14, 2019)
• Submission Re Legal Aid Modernization Project, Sept. 6, 2019