To the philanthropic sector,

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We are writing on behalf of several organizations and institutions from the legal, immigration, health, and social services sectors, as well as engaged citizens, to seek your urgent support. Together, we are calling for a significant increase in funding for legal services for migrants experiencing intimate partner violence, sexual violence, or gender-based violence, particularly when their immigration status depends on an abusive partner.

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For more than 20 years, Just Solutions – MCM has been the only legal clinic in Quebec to offer free legal representation in humanitarian immigration law to people who have neither access to legal services nor the means to pay for a private lawyer. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of interventions at the clinic nearly doubled, increasing from 4,831 to 9,690. Even more concerning, the proportion of people using our services who are experiencing gender-based violence has increased significantly over the past three years, from 14.3% in 2023 to 27.5% in 2025.

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The needs far exceed the available resources. Community organizations, women’s shelters, and services supporting survivors of violence are overworked and underfunded. The few private lawyers specializing in humanitarian immigration law are often forced to make the difficult decision to turn away new cases, which further increases pressure on community organizations. As a result, many women experiencing violence whose immigration status depends on their partner are left without adequate legal representation.

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There is currently only one legal aid office that provides legal advice in immigration law for the entire province of Quebec: the Montreal office. Our report, Between Protection and Precarity, produced in partnership with more than twenty organizations from the legal, community, and academic sectors, highlights the barriers to access to justice for migrant women and 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants. Experts working on the ground are unanimous: the shortage of legal representation in immigration law is one of the main barriers to their safety, autonomy, and well-being.  

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Without additional funding, our capacity to respond will remain insufficient in the face of rapidly growing needs. For this reason, we are seeking funding of $100,000 per year for a period of three years to create and sustain a position for a legal case worker specializing in gender-based violence within our clinic. This investment will allow us to support more survivors navigating complex legal processes. By increasing our capacity to represent people experiencing violence, more individuals will be able to regularize their immigration status, access services essential to their safety and well-being, and rebuild their lives after a relationship marked by violence.

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Investing in access to legal services for migrant women and 2SLGBTQIA+ migrants who have survived violence means preventing precarity, protecting particularly vulnerable individuals, and strengthening social cohesion in Quebec.

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Please accept our sincere regards.

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