The Canadian Centre for Elder Law (“CCEL”) is a national, non-profit body dedicated to exploring the particular legal issues which affect older Canadians. The mandate of the CCEL includes research, law reform, and education relating to legal issues of interest to older adults. Today, the CCEL is recognized for its expertise in elder law issues both in Canada and internationally.

In October 2007, the Adult Guardianship and Planning Statutes Amendment Act (“AGPSAA”) was passed. Once the AGPSAA is implemented, mandatory mediation will be required for most guardianship applications in Canada. Along with guardianship mediation, Canadian legislatures are increasingly mandating some form of mediation in the disputes involving powers of attorney, care-giving and long-term care (nursing home) issues.

The CCEL recognizes that elder mediation is growing and there is a need to establish practice guidelines and develop competencies. In Canada as a whole, the CCEL believes that there is a significant need for comprehensive research and analysis relating to a host of challenging issues and questions raised by this emerging practice area. As a result, the CCEL has established a project under the AGPSAA to gather  pertinent research and consult with key stakeholders in order to provide the information essential for both the adoption of mandatory elder and guardianship mediation in Canada, and for mediators who work with older clients.  It is believed that this project will put Canada at the vanguard of mediation research and practice.

Background on CCEL’s Elder and Guardianship Mediation Project can be found here – canadian-centre-for-elder-and-guardianship-mediation-24feb09.