MONTREAL -- Lawyers at a legal clinic operating in a low income neighbourhood in Montreal say that millions of dollars in federal grants will soon flow through into Black communities across the country to help them tackle systemic racism.
The Saint-Michel clinic, which has a mandate to support victims of racial profiling, hosted federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel on Friday as she rolled out her plan.
Michel said the government is spending the money to help reduce over-policing and address the overrepresentation of Black people in the justice system.
She acknowledged that the Black community has been asking for more support for decades and that the program was long-overdue.
"As Black Canadians, we are well aware of the systemic barriers that have stood in our way," she said. "We also know that justice can only be truly just when it is representative of society. The presence of Black lawyers in law firms, the courts, universities and all decision-making bodies is a democratic necessity."
Michel said that the spending is part of the federal government's Black Justice Strategy, first introduced in 2024. It includes $8.6 million over two years invested in two dozen projects across the country to ensure that "individuals will be given trauma-informed and culturally appropriate assistance to prepare for court."
The Saint-Michel legal clinic will receive more than $290,000 over two years, the only organization in Quebec to receive funding from the envelope.
Fernando Belton, the Saint-Michel legal clinic's executive director, said the initiative "marks a significant turning point for the Saint-Michel legal clinic and for Black justice, for Black people across Canada." He said they are all in need of tools to navigate the complexities of a justice system where they are more likely to be targeted and punished.
A study commissioned by Montreal's police department and released in 2019 revealed that Black people are 4.2 times more likely to be stopped by its officers.
"Systemic racism exists in all our institutions," said Belton. "At every stage -- from the moment people are arrested, through their treatment, and even when determining the timing and conditions of their release -- there is bias at play."
This report by was first published April 24, 2026.