History of the Centre

The Public Interest Law Centre was established in 1982 to provide representation for groups and individuals on public interest issues. Under the Legal Aid Services Society of Manitoba Act, group legal aid is available for consumer, environmental and other issues of common interest to members of a group.

Initially, the Centre was supported by the Province of Manitoba, along with pilot project funding from the federal Department of Justice. Since 1986, core funding has come from The Manitoba Law Foundation, with additional revenue derived from Legal Aid Manitoba (mainly in-kind services), cost and fee awards, client contributions and other granters. This arrangement allows the Centre to operate on a yearly budget of about $500,000, strictly at arm's length from government.

The advocacy role of the Centre has been publicly endorsed by both the Law Society of Manitoba and the Manitoba Bar Association. In 1996, the Bar Association launched the "Pro-Bono Public Interest Law" project, under which firms and individual lawyers have been donating time and services in order to assist the Centre's work.