In his latest Slaw.ca column entitled "Sentries of Injustice: Fees and Costs", APB's Executive Director Jamie Maclaren considers how Canadian governments' typical user-pay approach to court resources diminishes access to justice for lower-income litigants.

Maclaren pays particular attention to hearing fees in light of the recent BC Supreme Court decision in Vilardell v. Dunham, and transcription costs.  He urges reform of the user-pay system, and implementation of a progressive means-based method for assessing fees and costs.

Read the column here.