The publicly funded society that provides independent legal aid for low-income Albertans says its contract with the government has expired, and the provincial government has decided not to renew it.

In a release, Legal Aid Alberta (LAA), says it has been negotiating a new governance agreement with the Ministry of Justice and the Law Society of Alberta for several months, but the ministry suddenly halted negotiations and terminated the agreement.

The society’s current governance agreement expired on June 30.

LAA says the agreement is necessary to deliver its services to Albertans, and that without it, the society will no longer be able to issue certificates — the process used to assign defence lawyers to cases — past July 9.

“Without a governance agreement in place, our ability to conduct business is compromised,” reads the release.