National > Public Legal Education > Resources

PLE organizations in Canada work hard to create excellent and valuable resources for the public.  The following links will lead you to what we have determined to be some of the best resources in the field of PLE.


Alberta
Legal Resource Centre
The Legal Resource Centre's mission is to enhance the accessibility and quality of justice realized in Canada. It addresses its mission by creating learning opportunities and building learning communities that facilitate the creation, management, exchange, and integration of knowledge among people within the justice system and between them and the general public.
RoseNet: Law & Abused Immigrant Women
This site was developed by the Legal Resource Centre to help immigrant women learn about Canadian laws and issues relating to abusive relationships.
Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre - Publications
These online publications are provided by the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre and are available for download in PDF form. Titles include: Youth Employment Handbook; Techno-tonomy: Privacy, Autonomy and Technology in a Networked World; Anti Racism Resource Kit; The Adoption Handbook; The Child’s Right to Love; The Family Law Handbook; Seniors and the Law; Sexual Harassment in School; and Beyond Blame.
Nature's Laws - Resources
The Nature's Laws Project was developed in a partnership involving the Heritage Community Foundation and representatives of First Nations from Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The project is a study of the legal codes and traditional governance of Alberta’s First Nations in the areas covered by Treaties 6, 7 and 8.  It was structured as having research and public education components and involved Elders, academics and legal historians.  The material examined was evidence found in oral histories, as well as case law, and the scholarly literature relating to Aboriginal People.

British Columbia
BC Supreme Court Self-Help Information Centre
If you don’t have a lawyer representing you, the BC Supreme Court Self-Help Information Centre in Vancouver can help you get the information you need to prepare your Supreme Court family or civil case. Use the centre to: learn about the court system and court procedures, get legal information, locate and fill out the relevant court forms, find out about free legal advice, and find alternatives to court.
Benefits, Services, and Resources for Aboriginal Peoples (Legal Services Society)
This booklet explains the benefits, services, and resources that may be available to registered Indians who live on or off reserve, and provides information on how to apply for these benefits. Some of the topics covered include medical care, dental care, housing, employment benefits, immigration to the US, and education benefits.
Common Law in Your Life (People's Law School)
This article is a plain language explanation of the origins and role of the common law as it operates in Canada. The article explains how the common law came into existence, where it might apply in your life, and how it works alongside the laws passed by Parliament and provincial legislatures.
Court Tips for Parents: Representing Yourself in Chambers
This website has multimedia presentations (videos) that provide information on presenting a family matters case in Chambers. The website was created by the Law Courts Education Society of  British Columbia but a lot of the information is relevant to other jurisdictions.
Courts of BC
This website is created by Law Courts Education Society of BC. This website has different videos to introduce and explain the different law courts systems in BC. This website also includes teacher's guide and handouts for students. This is intended for high school students.
Justice Eduation Society of BC- Self Help Resources
The society is a non-profit organization providing educational programs and services about the justice system in Canada and British Columbia. Their function is twofold in that they help the public understand how our justice system works and also help those people working within the system to better understand the justice-related issues that different people in our communities face. The society provides information for the public, including students and life-long learners.
Justice Education Society of BC- Resources
The society offers a wide range of books, pamphlets, videos, charts, multimedia, web sites and curriculum that have been designed with you and your group’s unique needs in mind.
LawLINE (B.C.)
LawLINE, a legal aid service, is a toll-free hotline for people in BC that provides: information about print and website materials and resources that can help you resolve your legal problem; referrals to other services if another LSS program or another agency could help you resolve your legal problem; and legal advice that may include written opinions and advice, correspondence, help writing documents, and contact with third parties, but does not include being represented in court or other hearing. There is no eligibility test for LawLINE legal information and referral services. To be eligible to get legal advice through LawLINE, you must meet the financial guidelines for legal advice services.
LawMatters : at your local public library (BC Courthouse Library Society)
Working with public libraries in the province, LawMatters will provide all British Columbian residents with local access to basic legal information. Supported by the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the LawMatters project objectives are to provide public libraries with financial assistance for purchase of appropriate legal resources, bibliographies of recommended current resources, research guides on specific legal topics, training for public library staff, reference and referral support and consultation and advice for local libraries.
LawMatters : at your local public library (BC Courthouse Library Society)
Working with public libraries in the province, LawMatters will provide all British Columbian residents with local access to basic legal information. Supported by the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the LawMatters project objectives are to provide public libraries with financial assistance for purchase of appropriate legal resources, bibliographies of recommended current resources, research guides on specific legal topics, training for public library staff, reference and referral support and consultation and advice for local libraries.
Legal Services Society of B.C. - publications
This page will link you to public legal information materials produced by the Legal Services Society. Most LSS publications are in PDF format to read online, print out, or download.
MultiLingoLegal.ca - British Columbia's online access to multilingual legal publications
This web site includes publications covering subjects, which have been selected through community consultations during both its planning and implementation stages, in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese.
People's Law School - Publications
Provides legal information on a variety of topics in plain language to the people of British Columbia. The People's Law School also organize events including presentations by the Provincial Innovations Program (PIP), Justice Theatre presentations to BC schools, and free volunteer speaker placements on law-related issues for community groups.
Pro Bono Map of BC
This map aims to connect British Columbians to the wealth of free legal services and information available to them. By entering their location in the search panel, every British Columbian has instant knowledge of the dates, times, location, type and extent of the various free legal services offered in and around their community.
Seniors Gateway to Legal Information & Resources
The Seniors Gateway to Legal Information and Resources Project is a partnership between 411 Seniors Centre (411) and the Representation Agreement Resource Centre (RARC). The project has two purposes or goals: to train Seniors' Legal Information Provider (SLIP) volunteers in accessing and using web-based legal information resources; and to develop and build a portal website for use by Seniors Legal Information Providers throughout British Columbia.
The Online Safety Toolkit
The BC Rural Women's Network sponsored the Online Safety Toolkit in response to stories about women vulnerability and risks when communicating online. The Online Safety Toolkit: Staying Safe and Informed when Going Online, is meant to assist rural women, and Internet users generally, to be smart, be safe,but not be left behind. The Internet can be an amazing tool to network with other women, to learn about resources available to us through out the world, to share our knowledge with others. These pages attempt to begin the process of acquiring knowledge to be safe in the online community.

Canada / Federal
LawNow
LawNow provides credible legal information, interpretation and comment to help Canadians make critical decisions in their lives, and make meaningful and effective contributions to the democratic life of community and country. LawNow Online includes an online magazine, email updating service, searchable archive of articles, and access to back issues.
Oaknet (Older Adult Knowledge Network)
This online resource is a website of the Legal Resource Centre and contains information about elder abuse, as well as planning for the future, what happens if you don't plan, as well as other legal topics that are relevant for older adults.
RoseNet: Law & Abused Immigrant Women
This site was developed by the Legal Resource Centre to help immigrant women learn about Canadian laws and issues relating to abusive relationships.
VIOLET: Law and Abused Women
In this site you will find legal information that may help you if you are experiencing violence in an intimate relationship. This site indicates what options you have if you are being abused.
Canadian Housing Equality Resources (CHER)
This website is produced by the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA), an Ontario-based non profit human rights organization that has spent the past 20 years challenging the systemic barriers and discrimination that contribute to homelessness and housing insecurity.
Citizens for Open Access to Civic Information and Data (CivicAccess)
Citizens for Open Access to Civic Information and Data (CivicAccess) is a group of citizens which believes all levels of government should make civic information and data accessible at no cost in open formats to their citizens. We believe this is necessary to allow citizens to fully participate in the democractic process of an "information society." This site is a Wiki. A wiki is a collaborative web tool where anyone can edit pages and add new content.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada - Video Centre
Watch real compelling videos about citizenship and immigration in Canada including combatting immigration fruad, becoming Canadian and more.
Copyright Matters!
This booklet gives teachers user-friendly information on copyright law, combining items from the Canadian Copyright Act and its regulations, contractual and tariff arrangements with copyright collectives, and court decisions.
Court Tips for Parents: Representing Yourself in Chambers
This website has multimedia presentations (videos) that provide information on presenting a family matters case in Chambers. The website was created by the Law Courts Education Society of  British Columbia but a lot of the information is relevant to other jurisdictions.
Family Violence and the Deaf: Legal Education and Information Issues - A National Needs Assessment (Department of Justice)
Anecdotal information has indicated that family violence is emerging as a serious problem in the deaf community in Canada. This project provides a review of the basic needs in the area through information gathered from stakeholders in the field of deafness as well as from a number of Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) centers in various regions of Canada. The focus is on those people who use sign language as their primary mode of communication. (September 2000).
Food Banks Canada: Research Studies
Part of the site of Food Banks Canada. The page links to the PDF copies of their survey of emergency food programs and public opinion of hunger in Canada.
Giving to Charity: Information for Donors
The Canadian Revenue Agency's guide to donating, from how to find registered charities to how to claim the donation for your taxes. Includes a large glossary of terms used within charity laws.
Justice Canada Newsletter
Justice Canada is a newsletter published bi-yearly by the Department of Justice.  The newsletter's aim is to shed some light on something that is often called "Canada's largest law firm" but that is better described as the country's largest multidisciplinary legal practice group.
La Fédération des associations de juristes d'expression française de common law inc. (FAJEFCL)
La Fédération des associations de juristes d'expression française de common law inc. (ci-après appelée FAJEFCL) est le regroupement des associations régionales, provinciales ou territoriales de juristes d'expression française engagée à promouvoir et à défendre les droits linguistiques des communautés francophones et acadiennes, notamment en favorisant l'accès à la justice en français partout au Canada.
Legaltree.ca
Legaltree.ca is a collaboratively built website with research resources maintained by the site administrators, and legal literature contributed by lawyers in the Canadian legal community.
MultiLingoLegal.ca - British Columbia's online access to multilingual legal publications
This web site includes publications covering subjects, which have been selected through community consultations during both its planning and implementation stages, in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Multilingual Legal Glossary
Vancouver Community College has created this glossary of 5000 Canadian legal and court-related terms in English Plain Language, and their equivalents in six other languages (Chinese, Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese).
Online Rights Canada (ORC)
Online Rights Canada (ORC) is a grassroots organization that promotes the public's interest in technology and information policy. ORC believe that Canadians should have a voice in copyright law, access to information, freedom from censorship, and other issues that we face in the digital world.
Protecting your Privacy on the Internet
Facts about internet privacy and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Suggests methods of increasing your privacy for internet use, newsgroups and email.
Resources for Teachers (Supreme Court of Canada)
Provides information on the Court about tours, Educational Kits, mock trials, youth activity book.
Seniors Gateway to Legal Information & Resources
The Seniors Gateway to Legal Information and Resources Project is a partnership between 411 Seniors Centre (411) and the Representation Agreement Resource Centre (RARC). The project has two purposes or goals: to train Seniors' Legal Information Provider (SLIP) volunteers in accessing and using web-based legal information resources; and to develop and build a portal website for use by Seniors Legal Information Providers throughout British Columbia.
The Civics Channel
The Civics Channel is a non-profit, non partisan organization founded in August, 2004. CC is dedicated to the support of research, teaching and learning in the areas of citizenship and society, politics, human rights and the justice system.
The Court
An initiative of Osgoode Hall Law School, the court is a site where scholars, practitioners and other interested citizens can discuss the recent work of the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Healing Journey - Family Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities
This site offers a number of publications for people who are working in the area of family violence prevention for Aboriginal communities - both on- and off-reserve. It may help you to create responses to family violence both in terms of crisis intervention, public education and prevention. A Message from Gignoo Transition House, Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick, and our Mi’Kmaq and Maliseet partners.
Working with your Lawyer: A Toolkit for Survivors of Domestic Violence
The Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinicin partnership with Pro Bono Law Ontario, have created this Toolkit to help people better understand the lawyer-client relationship, and to address three common problem areas: Expectations; Communications; and Decision-Making.
You and the law - Community Legal Information on the Web
This site is provided by the University of Toronto, Bora Laskin Law Library and is a compilation of links to legal and government information available free of charge on the Internet. This list is intended primarily for residents of Ontario. Although every effort is made to link to reliable sources, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of any information provided.
Your Guide to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Canadian Heritage)
This booklet is published by the Human Rights Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Its aims is to increase understanding of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and to heighten awareness of its importance in our daily lives.

International
International Human Rights Law Video Library
The International Law Video Library has video holdings of interviews with leading commentators and practitioners in the field of international human rights law, as well as video clips of visits to sites throughout the world relevant to issues of human rights.
Reference Guide to the Geneva Conventions
Created by the Society of Professional Journalists. Use the alphabetical index on this site to find out what the Geneva Conventions say about everything from access to grave sites to wounded prisoners of war, fully linked to the original treaties.
Transnational and Comparative Family Law: Harmonization and Implementation
This guide points researchers to significant electronic and print sources in transnational and comparative family law. The purpose of this complementary guide is to indicate how these international conventions are implemented in selected jurisdictions and an indication of how to locate substantive national law under these same international regimes.

Manitoba
Community Legal Education Association of Manitoba - Publications
Community Legal Education Association is a not-for-profit organization, which provides Manitobans with information about the law through several services. We have existed since 1984 and we believe that law belongs to people - you have a right to know your rights. The Association offers a variety of community programs one of which is the School's Program (Speakers in the Classroom, Youth Criminal Justice Act Teaching Kit and Mock Trial Kits). You can order pamphlets, booklets, and education kits on legal topics from the Association.

New Brunswick
Atlantic Human Rights Centre
The AHRC is based out of St. Thomas University in New Brunswick and is dedicated to research and informed thinking on human rights issues.
Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick - Publications
PLEIS-NB has a growing number of publications. Follow the lists (topics) on their website to read online or download one of the publications.
The Healing Journey - Family Violence Prevention in Aboriginal Communities
This site offers a number of publications for people who are working in the area of family violence prevention for Aboriginal communities - both on- and off-reserve. It may help you to create responses to family violence both in terms of crisis intervention, public education and prevention. A Message from Gignoo Transition House, Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick, and our Mi’Kmaq and Maliseet partners.
Youth Justice in New Brunswick
Welcome to Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB) Youth Justice Website. We have created a number of publications for youth and adults. We have a number of publications on youth and the law, games, teacher’s resources, and how to find out more about the videos and presentations available from PLEIS-NB. The information on this site can tell you more about Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act, Youth Crime, Youth Rights and other questions teens may have about the law.

Newfoundland Labrador
Public Legal Information Association of Newfoundland (PLIAN) - Publications
PLIAN regularly produces publications on many areas of the law which are available to read and/or download for free from this website.

Nova Scotia
Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia- Online Information
Link to online publications prepared by the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia on various crimnal law topics such as guide to jury duty (also available in French), abuse, being a witness, going to court, peace bonds, prostitution, sentencing, sexual assault and police powers.
Seniors and the law (Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia)
Kit (available for purchase) that provides a wide variety of information about the law which is of interest to seniors and their families.Topics include: Patients' rights, The Public Trustee, Elder abuse, Living wills, Making a will, Internet fraud, Phone fraud, Mail fraud, When you need help to manage in your home, Collection agencies, Credit reporting agencies, Guardianship, Power of attorney and Homes for special care.
Youth and the Law (Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia)
The site has information about the Youth Criminal Justice Act. It lets you look inside the workings of the legal process and provides links to resources for youth justice in Nova Scotia. Materials available for use by teachers within the classroom.

Ontario
Canadian Housing Equality Resources (CHER)
This website is produced by the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA), an Ontario-based non profit human rights organization that has spent the past 20 years challenging the systemic barriers and discrimination that contribute to homelessness and housing insecurity.
CLEONet
CLEONet is an online clearinghouse for community legal education. CLEONet has an easily searchable collection of hundreds of resources and news items on a wide range of legal topics, in a number of languages. Community organizations and legal clinics in Ontario are invited to share their justice-related news, events, trainings and resources with this site.
Community Advocacy & Legal Centre
The clinic is a non-profit community legal clinic, serving counties in Eastern Ontario. The Community Advocacy Legal Centre provides access to justice through quality legal services, advocacy and information for people living on a low income or in poverty.
Community Law School Model Manual
This manual outlines the process of establishing and operating a Community Law School program, on a full or part time basis.Copyright @ 2000 by Margaret N. Capes,Community Law School (Sarnia-Lambton) Inc.and the Law Foundation of Ontario
Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) – Publications
Most of the materials are in the form of booklets, pamphlets, fact sheets and manuals.  Most publications are available in French, and some are available in other languages. Publications available online encompass a number of subjects including: Consumer; Criminal; Family; Health & Disability; Immigration & Refugee; Landlord & Tenant; Legal Services; Seniors; Social Assistance; Work & Employment Insurance; Workers’ Compensation; and Youth Justice.
Legal Line
Legal Line® provides FREE legal information to Canadians through its website, telephone and fax-on-demand systems. 1,000 topics are covered within35 areas of law.
Legal Resources for Non Lawyers
A useful series of guides prepared by the Bora Laskin Law Library at the University of Toronto to provide assistance to non-lawyers who have a legal problem and need legal help. "Finding Legal Help in Ontario," describes government programs that offer legal help free of charge or at reduced rates for people on a budget. "Legal Research for Beginners," is aimed at the first-time legal researcher and explains how to conduct legal research in Canada. "You and the Law - Community Legal Information on the Web," is a compilation of links to legal and government information freely available on the Internet. Intended primarily for residents of Ontario, the links range from general or comprehensive sources of legal information to more specific sources dealing with such topics as citizenship, the court system, motor vehicles and driving, power of attorney, travel, divorce, employment insurance, landlord and tenant, and bankruptcy.
Ontario - How Bills become Law
Access to resources that explain the Ontario legislative process, track Ontario bills as they proceed through the Legislature, and provide the legislative history of bills.
Ontario Justice Education Network - Resources
OJEN is a forum for leading institutions and individuals from the legal, education and other sectors, to work together on initiatives designed to foster the public’s understanding of our justice system. It supports popular programs such as ”Courtrooms and Classrooms,” which, through a network of local education committees, is reaching many thousands of students around the province. Resource page provides links to materials which have been developed for teachers teaching law, and for judges, lawyers and other justice sector volunteers when speaking with students. This section also includes reference materials such as selected speeches and articles relating to the justice system, which can be used as educational tools.
You and the law - Community Legal Information on the Web
This site is provided by the University of Toronto, Bora Laskin Law Library and is a compilation of links to legal and government information available free of charge on the Internet. This list is intended primarily for residents of Ontario. Although every effort is made to link to reliable sources, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of any information provided.

Prince Edward Island
Community Legal Information Association of PEI (CLIA) - Publications
CLIA produces and distributes booklets and pamphlets about the law and our court system. These publications do not contain a complete statement about the law. The publications are available free of charge - view them online or contact CLIA to order a copy. Publications are available in the following categories: Family law, Lawyers, Ggoing to court, Criminal law, Housing and property law, Youth and the law, Health and the law, Wills and estates, Planning ahead.
Community Legal Information Association of Prince Edward Island (CLIA) – Videos
On this page you can click the links to see legal information videos produced by CLIA. Two videos on Family Law are Child Custody and Child Support .
Youth Criminal Justice System - Prince Edward Island
The goal of this module, prepared by the Community Legal Information Association of Prince Edward Island (CLIA) is to teach young people, 12 to 17 years old, about their rights in the youth criminal justice system of Prince Edward Island. Available as a web resource or printable version. (March 2006)

Quebec
Éducaloi - Le carrefour d'accès au droit
Éducaloi est un organisme sans but lucratif qui s’est donné pour mission d’informer les Québécois et les Québécoises de leurs droits et obligations en mettant à leur disposition des outils de vulgarisation et d’information juridiques de qualité, rédigés dans un langage simple et accessible. En réalisant sa mission, Éducaloi poursuit plusieurs objectifs : favoriser une meilleure connaissance du droit, notamment des lois et règlements en vigueur; assurer une plus grande compréhension du fonctionnement du système judiciaire; sensibiliser les différents acteurs sociaux de même que la population à l’importance de la justice dans la vie de tous les jours.
Legal information for Native Peoples
Éducaloi, in collaboration with the Quebec Native Women’s Association , presents Native Legal Info. Native Legal Info is offered in audio or PDF format in French, English, and in a number of Native languages. To consult the texts, click on the subject that interests you, then choose your preferred language and format.

Saskatchewan
Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA) – Legal Resources
PLEA provides free newspaper articles, intermediary training guides, and booklets & pamphlets to download from their website.  Booklets & pamphlets are available in the following topic areas: Consumer, Criminal, Domestic Crisis, Family, Farming, Health Care, Housing, Human Rights, Legal Process, Older Adults, Planning for the Future, Social Assistance and Youth.
The Learning Centre (Saskatchewan Justice)
Includes a glossary of terms, information about how laws in Saskatchewan are made and more.
Youth and Schools (Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan)
PLEA offers a wide range of resources for teaching law in the classroom, such as lesson plans,  instruction guides, mock trial kits and publications. As well as "School Law", an initiative of the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan ( PLEA ), The Law Society of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Bar Association (Saskatchewan Branch) and the Courts Communication Office, which puts volunteer lawyers and judges into classrooms to speak on a variety of topics.

Yukon
Yukon Public Legal Education Association (YPLEA) - Publications
YPLEA makes available to the public a wide array of pamphlets, brochures and information packages that can be received in the YPLEA office or through the mail. YPLEA also offers a number of preformatted legal forms through this website that can be downloaded. The forms are in the 'pdf' format and can be read with adobe acrobat reader.