The Cost of Experiencing Everyday Legal Problems Related to Loss of Employment and Loss of Housing

In 2014, the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) conducted a national survey to determine the costs, extent and consequences of serious civil and family justice problems experienced by the Canadian public. Findings from the CFCJ’s national “Everyday Legal Problems and the Cost of Justice in Canada” survey (Cost of Justice survey) confirm that civil and family legal problems result in significant monetary costs to the individuals who experience them as well as to the publicly funded services that individuals access for support when dealing with legal problems. With Canadians spending almost as much to resolve their legal problems as they do on food for a year, it is hardly surprising that for many people, the financial burdens associated with experiencing a serious civil or family justice problem cause or contribute to other legal, social, family, health and personal problems . A significant number of Canadians also report losing their job and/or their housing as a direct consequence of one or more legal problems