Quebec justice institute launches citizen-led effort to improve access to justice
Posted January 1, 2026 10:17 am.
Last Updated January 1, 2026 10:41 am.
A new initiative aimed at making Quebec’s justice system more accessible is now underway, putting citizens at the centre of reform efforts for the first time.
The Institut québécois de réforme en droit et en justice (IQRDJ) launched Les États Généraux in November, and the two-year project officially began in December. The initiative seeks to rethink access to justice in civil and family matters by bringing together citizens, legal experts, and community leaders.
Justice system facing major challenges
Access to justice continues to be a major issue in Quebec. According to the IQRDJ, 74 per cent of Quebecers say they cannot afford to go to court, while nearly nine out of 10 report difficulty understanding legal texts.
François Rolland, vice-chair of the IQRDJ and senior counsel at Langlois Avocats, said the institute was created to address these challenges.
“That institute was founded in September 2018 by a group of former chief justices and judges, lawyers, academics, and members of the community to do research on the law in general and more so on access to justice because we all know that there are problems with access to justice with regard to caste, to accessibility, to the duration, the complexity of the system,” Rolland said.
He added that the institute focuses on studying problems linked to cost, accessibility, delays, and complexity within the legal system, and on proposing solutions.
Putting citizens at the centre of reform
Unlike previous reforms, Les États Généraux places citizens at the heart of the process.
“This is to specifically address the question of access to justice and at the institute we realized that the citizen, the population in general, is not put to contribution to discuss those problems. So this time it’s a two-year project where we’re going to have citizens participate in the project to discuss accessibility in civil matters and family matters,” Rolland said.
He added that this lack of involvement has contributed to a system many people struggle to navigate.
“The system is meant to be used by these people and we notice that it’s barely accessible in our days,” Rolland said.
The project will actively involve citizens in discussions about how the justice system can better meet their needs, particularly in civil and family law.
A two-year project with concrete goals
The project officially began in December and will run for the next two years. Rolland said it will include several subcommittees focused on specific topics, each bringing together citizens, jurists, academics, lawyers, and former judges.
“They will report to a committee director and these projects, research projects, will come up with reports,” he said.
A directing committee will oversee the work and ensure progress.
“They will assure and ensure that the persons are doing their work in due course and that there are no delays because we have to address those issues urgently,” Rolland said.
Recommendations, not legislation
At the end of the two-year process, the institute will present recommendations intended to guide future reforms. While the IQRDJ does not have legislative power, Rolland said the work is meant to influence government decision-making.
“The recommendations that will be made will be used by the government that will be in place at that time in two years from now,” he said.
He stressed that the justice system ultimately belongs to citizens, even if many currently feel excluded.
“They can use it, but it’s very costly, very long, very complex,” Rolland said.
Taking the justice system seriously
As Les États Généraux moves forward, Rolland says he hopes the initiative will encourage Quebecers to take a closer look at how the justice system affects their daily lives.
The IQRDJ hopes that by giving citizens a voice in reform discussions, Quebec’s justice system can become clearer, fairer, and more accessible in the years ahead.
