Free legal clinics in Montreal’s Place-des-Arts metro in March

As part of Justice Month, the Juripop organization announced the return of its free clinics in the Montreal metro to facilitate access to legal services.

On four Thursdays in March, from March 2 to 23, lawyers and notaries will be present at the Place-des-Arts metro station from noon to 6 p.m. to offer 15-minute consultations.

“We decided to keep it to 15 minutes, because it’s very popular and we want to help as many people as possible. The volunteers are trained to answer questions efficiently; it seems short, but we can really help people in their steps”, said Sophie Gagnon, executive director of Juripop.

Supported by the Chambre des notaires du Québec and the Société des transports de Montréal (STM), nearly 20 volunteer lawyers will be on hand to answer questions on civil, family, criminal and immigration law. Only tax law will not be offered, said the director.

“These are generalists who are able to answer a wide variety of questions,” she explained. (…) The goal is for the person to then be taken care of, and that’s why we work with, among others, the neighbourhood justice centers in Montreal and the Montérégie, which offer legal information year-round.”

People can ask for help with a rent increase, an increase in alimony or the modification of a will, among other things.

Family and housing law in demand

After holding its clinics over the phone during the pandemic, the organization said it “couldn’t wait” to return in person.

“It was popular and a lot of people were calling, but we realized we weren’t reaching the same type of people (…) In the subway, it’s people who aren’t necessarily going to make an appointment and we’re able to catch them because we’re out there,” Gagnon said.

The pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of Quebecers, and people are seeking more legal services related to family and housing.

“The cost of living has been rising steadily over the past year, and it is the most vulnerable people who are most affected by this increase (…) One subject that we see a lot, unfortunately, is the abuse of seniors. People feel left to their own devices and don’t know what resources are available,” she said.

The organization invites people to come forward with their documents to allow professionals to have an overview of the situation and to direct them to existing resources.

This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Grants.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 27, 2023.