The following are client stories from CLG’s specialized programs funded by ALF:

Homeless Outreach Program

Many people who have been on the streets for years have a combination of mental disability, addiction & mental illness that keep them from securing social housing & supports on their own and resort to petty crime to eat and survive. CLG staff know how to connect such individuals with the services they need and avoid a cycle of jail and fines that otherwise keep people homeless and deprived.

CLG lawyers, students, social advocates, and paralegals respond to constant requests from tenants from the current housing crisis. Most tenants don’t understand their rights or how to handle conflict with their landlord, roommates or neighbours. Once they understand their legal responsibilities and options, many can successfully negotiate their own solution and stay in their rental or safely transition to new housing especially with social service connections made by CLG staff.

Elder Law Program

Story 1:

Our client has custody of her grandson, and her health has recently begun to deteriorate. We drafted an enduring power of attorney and personal directive to ensure that a trusted friends will manage the client’s finances and health care if she becomes unable to make her own decisions. We also drafted a will that appoints a guardian for her grandson and sets out her wishes for his care and education. Our client was relieved that she was able to assert some control over her grandson’s future in the face of her own mortality.

Story 2:

Our client has a close friend who has recently moved into long-term care and is no longer able to make her own decisions. We helped him apply to the court to be appointed as his friend’s guardian. Our client can now advocate for his friend to make sure she receives the best possible care.

Immigration Law Program

Story 1:

An individual had previously applied to sponsor her spouse, and the application was initially refused.  We assisted the client to provide submissions to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to further clarify her intentions and explain in detail the circumstances of the family. These circumstances warranted special considerations based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds based on the best interests of the children. The application was granted.

Story 2:

CLG’s Immigration Program Lawyer and Advocate assisted a Latin American client fleeing a violent military dictatorship where he was targeted for a political crime. New to the city, unable to speak English, and unfamiliar with available resources, the client received legal help with his refugee claim and was connected to agencies for food and housing support. With coordination among CLG, a community agency, and a frontline worker who spoke his language, the client successfully submitted his refugee claim, gaining safety and a pathway to permanent status in Canada.

Child Welfare Program

Child and Family Services (CFS) removed our client’s child from their home despite a family court ruling that living with our client was in the child’s best interests. Over several months, we helped the client navigate legal challenges, gradually increase access to their child, and negotiate the termination of the court order. Through advocacy, we secured an agreement with CFS to close the case. By the end, the child was safely back home, free from CFS intervention—a result the client likely couldn’t have achieved alone.

Domestic Violence Family Law Program

Our client endured over a decade of physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse from her husband, who was abusive even in front of their children. Although he hadn’t physically attacked her in a year, he subjected her to relentless sleep deprivation and threats of violence, leaving her physically and emotionally drained. He repeatedly told her he would kill her or take the children if she tried to leave.

After contacting police, she was advised to apply for an emergency protection order (EPO), but her initial attempt failed because she couldn’t articulate the abuse clearly, and there had been no recent physical violence. Legal Aid Alberta denied her application for a lawyer due to shared property ownership, leaving her financially trapped. She was told to try mediation with her abuser.

Desperate, she turned to CLG’s Domestic Violence Family Law Program. Their lawyer helped her understand how to present her case, emphasizing the relevance of her husband’s threats, the children’s exposure to abuse, and her text message evidence. With this guidance, she successfully obtained an EPO the same day. She received safety planning, counseling referrals, child-care options, and financial literacy support.

The EPO was upheld on review. Later, with further guidance from the program, she secured a parenting order granting her sole decision-making authority and police enforcement provisions to protect the children. The father’s contact with the children was limited to supervised visits and virtual communication, contingent on his completion of counseling. Despite representing herself, the client achieved safety and stability for her family with education and support from the DVFL.