By Jeff Schlemmer
While it’s easy to take access to the internet and technology for granted, we know that some people living in Wellington County don’t have reliable access to the web.
This technology gap has increased through the pandemic and highlights the crippling effects this can have on families.
We at the “law van” see the impact of a lack of technology. The law van is run by the Legal Clinic of Guelph and Wellington County (LCGWC) and funded by The Law Foundation of Ontario.
The law van visits northern and central Wellington County communities weekly, providing free legal advice and referrals.
Legal challenges we hear about all have one thing in common: access to technology greatly impacts a person’s ability to solve their problem.
At the start of the pandemic, most Ontario courts and tribunals (such as the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Social Benefits Tribunal) moved online. Some tribunals such as the Landlord and Tenant Board have adopted a “digital first” strategy.
While this is convenient for those with reliable technology, it is a real barrier to access to justice for those who do not have a reliable computer/internet, a scanner for copying and emailing documents to the board, or an understanding of how to use online meetings. Accessing the hearings by phone can also be a challenge without enough minutes.
These changes have effectively shut out many families from the very legal processes designed to protect them.
While these technology challenges are real, so are some of the solutions that we offer. The law van can help by providing walk up no appointment necessary, access to legal advice and referrals right in the community.
We also have relationships with support agencies across the county, and can suggest appropriate referrals. Our community libraries are a great resource for access to computers, laptop and tablet borrowing and free Wi-Fi.
Everyone has legal issues at some point in their lives. Having a housing or family law issue, for example, is not uncommon, and generally can be dealt with much more effectively with access to the right legal supports and tools and having the technology needed to access our legal system.
As we gradually recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, having access to, and familiarity with, technology isn’t just “nice to have” anymore.
It is a basic requirement for accessing justice.
– Jeff Schlemmer is a law van lawyer with LCGWC.
