A Vision for Access to Justice: Towards Justice as a Common Good

Author ORCID Identifier

Trevor Farrow: 0000-0001-5236-076X

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-13-2026

Abstract

This paper advances a renewed vision for access to justice in Canada by framing justice as a common good – a shared public foundation essential to democratic life, the rule of law, and people’s well–being. In the context of major access to justice challenges, and building on the growing movement towards people–centred justice, this paper argues that access to justice is not only about resolving disputes, but about enabling individuals and communities to meet their basic needs, exercise their rights, and participate fully in society. Grounded in values of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – dignity, true equality and fairness – the paper positions access to justice as the mechanism through which these values become meaningful in everyday life.

Justice as a common good means viewing justice as essential public infrastructure. Accessible, prevention-oriented, focused on outcomes, and sustained through collective responsibility. To operationalize this vision, the paper identifies a set of principles and practices for action. Drawing on national and international engagement and learning, it highlights emerging practices and invites reflection across all justice actors on their role in accelerating the shift towards justice as a common good.

The Action Committee serves as a national convener to advance people-centred justice, through strengthening collaboration, amplifying diverse voices, informed by the lived experience and the needs of people and communities.

This report is published by the Action Committee, Ottawa, Canada, and printed in Canada.

Comments

This paper was prepared for and published by the Action Committee on Access to Justice (Action Committee).

The authors of this paper are the Honourable Andromache Karakatsanis, Justice, Supreme Court of Canada, Trevor CW Farrow, Dean, Osgoode Hall law School, Véronique Morissette, Executive Director, Action Committee, and Brea Lowenberger, Strategic Advisor, Action Committee.

The Action Committee extends its sincere thanks to the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, Chief Justice of Canada and Honourary Chair of the Action Committee, for his leadership on access to justice and continued support of the Action Committee’s work. The Action Committee gratefully acknowledges its members, whose insight, experience, and sustained engagement shaped this work. We recognize the many individuals and organizations across Canada and internationally whose work and ideas directly or indirectly contributed to this paper, including those who participated in the Action Committee’s Listening Tour, the Action Committee’s 2026 conference on Advancing People-Centred Justice in Canada: Data Sharing and Knowledge Building, Provincial and Territorial Access to Justice Collaboratives, as well as members of its working groups and partners such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The Action Committee is motivated by an inclusive vision of access to justice for all individuals and communities in Canada.

Further, the Action Committee is guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and a vision of access to justice that promotes truth and reconciliation.

The Action Committee salutes the many individuals and organizations across Canada who contribute, through their work and leadership, to advancing access to justice. Their ongoing leadership and efforts, over many years, continue to inform and inspire this work.

This paper offers a general consensus of the Action Committee’s Steering Committee but does not necessarily reflect the formal position of each of its member organizations.

This publication is available in English and French. Cette publication est disponible en français et en anglais.

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