Thanks to funding from the Alberta Law Foundation, numerous Albertans have received vital assistance through the Edmonton Community Legal Centre. Here are some of their stories:

Testimonial 1

Thanks to the support of the Alberta Law Foundation, we were able to make a significant impact on our client's life. Our client faced the threat of eviction from their subsidized housing due to delays in preparing their home for necessary repairs. These delays were caused by our client's severe allergic reaction to mold.

Just days before the eviction hearing, we intervened to prevent the eviction and address the underlying dispute. We not only prepared strong legal defenses against the eviction but also worked to resolve the issue of repairs.

Before the first hearing, we successfully negotiated an adjournment, providing our client with the time needed to prepare their home for repairs and allowing us to strengthen our legal defenses. Despite the tight timeline, our client managed to complete the preparations just before the second hearing.

At the second hearing, we presented evidence of the completed preparations and highlighted our legal defenses, including improper notice and failure to accommodate. Although the last-minute preparations frustrated the housing provider, they acknowledged our client's efforts and decided not to pursue the eviction.

As a result, our client was able to keep their subsidized housing, and the underlying dispute was resolved. The relationship between our client and their housing provider is now on a positive path, thanks to the resolution of the repair issues.

This outcome was made possible by the invaluable support of the Alberta Law Foundation, which enabled us to provide the necessary legal assistance and advocacy for our client.

 

Testimonial 2

The Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC) plays a crucial role in providing access to justice for vulnerable individuals and families. Our work impacts real people by addressing their immediate legal needs and helping them navigate complex legal systems. None of this would be possible without the generous support of the Alberta Law Foundation, whose funding enables us to offer essential legal assistance and advocacy.

Thanks to the support of the Alberta Law Foundation, we were able to make a significant impact on our clients' lives:

  • Reuniting with Beloved Pet: A client was evicted from her home and wasn't given enough time to retrieve her belongings and her cat. With our coaching, she successfully negotiated with her landlord to get her cat back. While she still faces some legal issues, her immediate concern was resolved.
  • Navigating Workplace Injury Disputes: A newcomer client struggled with a workplace injury and the complexities of WCB decisions. We provided him with detailed information on the review and appeals process, contact information, and resources like Workers Edge. This guidance helped him navigate his disputes more effectively.
  • Supporting a Concerned Mother: A mother, overwhelmed by her adult son's inability to care for himself, sought our help. Despite being over our income guidelines, we provided her with information on the guardianship and trusteeship process and referrals to better navigate her situation.
  • Defending Against Unreasonable Charges: A client renting a home near Grande Prairie faced aggressive communication and eviction from her landlord. With our advice, she successfully reduced the landlord's inflated charges from $9000 to $3000, boosting her confidence to represent herself.
  • Securing Housing Despite Infestation: A client withheld rent due to a cockroach infestation and faced eviction. With our advice, she obtained a Conditional Order for a payment plan and later returned for more guidance to strengthen her case against the infestation.
  • Addressing Mental Health and Housing Issues: A client with PTSD and depression faced eviction due to unresolved HVAC issues. Our volunteer lawyers helped her navigate the RTDRS process, resulting in a fair ruling that allowed her to keep her home and subsidy.
  • Advocating for Fair Rent Charges: A client faced unjust charges for unpaid rent due to a landlord's accounting error. Our advocacy proved the rent had been paid, leading to the withdrawal of charges and additional fees.
  • Challenging Predatory Contracts: An elderly client signed a predatory lease for a water filtration system. We helped her file an application to remove the notice of security interest, allowing her to sell her property and downsize.
  • Fighting Workplace Discrimination: We assisted a client in filing a human rights complaint for workplace harassment and discrimination. The case was resolved with a significant financial settlement, a written apology, and mandatory human rights training for the respondent's managers.
  • Securing Damages for Wrongful Eviction: A vulnerable client was wrongfully evicted and lost all his property. We successfully obtained $7,000 in damages, ensuring the landlord complied with the judgment.
  • Protecting Family and Guardianship Rights: We helped a client secure guardianship of her siblings and prevent their removal by their biological mother, ensuring their safety and stability.
  • Resolving Child Support and Property Disputes: We successfully defended a client against unjust spousal support claims, secured child support, and are finalizing her divorce and property division.
  • Preventing School Access for Abusers: We obtained Emergency Protection Orders (EPO) to prevent a man accused of molesting a child from accessing school grounds and protected the client from harassment by his associates.
  • Securing Financial Support for Domestic Abuse Victims: We quickly obtained child support and a parenting order for a client intimidated by her abusive husband's lawyer.
  • Reuniting Families Through Immigration Support: We helped a client expedite her husband's permanent residence application through a successful mandamus application, reuniting the family in Canada after a prolonged wait.