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Re-imagining the Family Justice System

RFJS panel speaks at the Calgary launch of the Centre for Transformation

Putting children and families first

Re-imagining the Family Justice System (RFJS) requires us to do just that: re-imagine how family justice matters might be addressed in a different way, improving outcomes by promoting a paradigm shift away from the adversarial legal model to one that prioritizes family well-being.

The Re-imagining the Family Justice System (RFJS) initiative was established in 2013 in response to two National Action Committee Reports that concluded “the [Canadian] family justice system is in crisis; the system is not working for families; and indeed, the system is doing more harm than good.” In 2025, the RFJS moved into the University of Calgary’s Centre for Transformation. A central element of the centre’s work is the backbone support and continued advancement of the RFJS.

Since its founding, the RFJS has focused on outcomes, not processes, with the goal of helping families thrive. Working with collaborators across Alberta, the RFJS has worked to develop an evidence-based system that untangles legal from non-legal matters to ensure non-legal challenges are channeled to non-legal service providers. To do this, the RFJS has worked to open up longstanding silos across legal and social service sectors and organizations to ensure families receive the best supports for both their legal and non-legal needs. While courts will always be available to adjudicate contentious legal disputes – including those involving family violence – the RFJS seeks to empower families to obtain supports and build skills to address the financial, relational, social, parenting and health issues that arise during family matters.

The RFJS is convened by eight Co-Convenors representing the key institutions of the family justice system and family social support services. In April 2025, the deans of Law and Social Work were formally welcomed as RFJS Co-Convenors. The Co-Convenors are champions, leaders and facilitators of the work to re-imagine the family justice system across Alberta.

RJFS at work

A particular focus of the RFJS has been Grande Prairie, where the initiative has been introducing these concepts and encouraging shifts in thinking and practice since 2020. In October 2024, the Court of King's Bench in Grande Prairie initiated an important pilot project, which has since also been adopted by the Alberta Court of Justice in the community.

Next steps include expansion of the RFJS approach to family matters into communities in the area around Edmonton.

Brain science and resilience

The work of the RFJS is informed by brain science, aiming to build resilience while reducing toxic stress that is made worse by the adversarial processes of the family justice system.