Free Legal Services for Black Ontarians
Land Acknowledgement
The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) acknowledges that its work takes place on the Ancestral Traditional Territories of the Ojibway, the Anishnabe and, in particular, the Mississaugas of the Credit. This territory is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty, an agreement between the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and allied nations, to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. This territory is also covered by the Upper Canada Treaties. Today, Tkaronto, the traditional Mohawk name of this area called Toronto, which means “a gathering place,” and its surrounding areas, are still home to Indigenous people. BLAC is grateful for this land and its stewards.
free Legal Services for Black Ontarians
Established in 2017, the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) is an independent not-for-profit community legal clinic that combats individual and systemic anti-Black racism by providing free legal services, conducting research, developing public legal education materials, and engaging in test case litigation and law reform.
LEGAL SERVICES
BLAC offers a diverse range of legal services and advice on issues related to education, employment, housing, human rights, government support, and other topics. We also offer comprehensive information about legal issues that we do not directly advise on through Steps to Justice, such as criminal law, family law, and immigration.
FREE LEGAL SERVICES
If you have a legal issue in the areas of education, employment, housing, human rights, government support, and prisoner rights, BLAC may be able to provide you with legal information, advice, and/or representation. If you have a legal issue in another area of law (e.g. criminal law, family law, immigration), we may be able to connect you with other people or organizations that can help you.
LAW REFORM
Through our law reform work, we identify anti-Black racism in existing laws and legal systems, and advocate for changes.
TEST CASE LITIGATION
Test cases allow us to present historical and sociological information about anti-Black racism in Canada that is important for courts and tribunals in Ontario to consider as they make decisions about laws, policies, and practices.
Public Legal Education
Our public legal education (PLE) materials and projects are aimed at teaching you about what your rights are and how you can use the law and legal systems to resolve your problems.
Projects
We are leading or supporting projects and initiatives that are aimed at tackling issues like the school-to-prison pipeline and the overrepresentation of Black children in the child welfare system.
Legal Information
We cannot give you legal advice or represent you if your legal issue is not in the areas of education, employment, housing, human rights, government support, and prisoner rights. But we can give you information. And we may be able to connect you with a person or organization that can help you.
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Join our mailing list to stay up to date with BLAC news, announcements and initiatives.
LATEST NEWS
BLAC releases analysis of human rights applications filed against police services in Ontario
The Black Legal Action Centre has published a report analyzing human rights applications filed against police services in Ontario between 2017 and 2020. The study finds that almost 270 applications were filed during this period but only one application resulted in a...
BLAC & Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) React to Toronto Police Service Report
Abby Deshman, Director of Criminal Justice for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, made the following statement: We are still working our way through the reports, but even a cursory read paints a deeply concerning picture of the state of policing. The picture is...
Open Letter to RCMP Re Body Worn Cameras Project
BLAC welcomes steps taken by the RCMP and other police services towards accountability and transparency in policing. However, we are concerned that: body worn cameras cost $2,000-3,000 per camera, per year body worn cameras do not significantly change police behaviour...