First Nations Justice Council and Province work together to open more justice centres across B.C.

VICTORIA–A partnership between the Province and First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) are creating Indigenous justice centres throughout B.C., with a few recently opening and more to come in the future.

Indigenous justice centres have recently opened in Prince George, Prince Rupert, and Merritt providing:

• legal advice and representation for criminal and child protection matters;
• advocacy and support in dealing with agencies such as the police and Ministry of Children and Family Development;
• referrals to relevant agencies and services such as counselling or employment support;
• information towards better transitions from jail and integration into the community; and
• restorative justice options to better support and address the needs of those impacted by a crime.

“Our model is to ensure the Indigenous justice centres reflect the priorities and unique needs of First Nations in each respective region. The Indigenous justice centres are a transformative pillar of the First Nations Justice Strategy that we expect will make a significant difference in the experiences of Indigenous peoples with the justice system,” said Douglas White III (Kwulasultun), chair, BCFNJC