News & Media

UPDATE:

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for comprehensive discharge planning services, particularly for individuals returning home to remote and fly-in First Nations communities. From 2020-2023, NALSC was funded through the Ministry of the Attorney General, Indigenous Justice Division (MAG-IJD) to provide discharge planning services for Indigenous individuals from remote and fly-in communities. During this time, NALSC served over 2,300 clients in returning home upon release from the courts or from a correctional institution.

Due to budgetary constraints and notably a lack of long-term sustainable funding, NALSC had to wind-down the Indigenous Discharge Planning Program at the end of 2023. NALSC is pleased to announce that The Corporation has been successful in obtaining in-year funding to resume the program on an emergency basis, with a view to obtaining longer-term sustainable funding moving forward.

MAG-IJD has received approval to fund NALSC for up to one year to continue providing a scaled-down discharge planning program to support NAN members released from the courts only (individuals released from correctional institutions will be supported by the Solicitor General).

Resumption of the program will begin in the near future pending the receipt of funding and successful recruitment. An official start date will be announced soon.

Click the link below to view that MOU:
2024-07-05 AMENDED Discharge Planning Program Agreement between NALSC and MAG

Chantelle M. Johnson, Director of Justice Programs/
Acting Executive Director

Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation
1805 East Arthur Street, Unit 1
Thunder Bay, Ontario. P7E 2R6

Cell: (807) 252-3934
Fax: (807) 622-3024
Email: cjohnson@nanlegal.on.ca