Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund

The Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF) is a legal aid program based in British Columbia, Canada that provides grants to individuals, community groups and environmental organizations who need to hire legal representation to assist them in resolving an environmental problem or dispute. The grants are provided and administered by West Coast Environmental Law, a non-profit environmental law and public advocacy organization, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Unlike other public interest environmental law organizations, which use in-house lawyers to provide environmental representation, EDRF funding allows grantees to hire lawyers (at a legal aid rate) from the private bar. Funding for the EDRF is provided by the Law Foundation of British Columbia.
How the EDRF works.
The EDRF provides funding and grants for approved recipients to obtain legal advice to assist with their environmental disputes. The types of legal work funded include: pursuing alternative dispute resolutions; appearing before government tribunals, participating in environmental assessments and challenging government decisions in court.
History.
The EDRF was established in 1989, by West Coast Environmental Law. Bill Andrews, the former Executive Director of West Coast Environmental Law, recalls: 
Notable achievements.
Between 1989 and 2010, over $4 million were provided to recipients, helping to support and resolve more than 500 legal cases in British Columbia, Canada. In 2010, West Coast Environmental Law celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the EDRF. Notable EDRF wins over the past 20 years include:
Summary.
West Coast Environmental Law provides approximately $200,000 in EDRF grants each year to a number of different recipients from across British Columbia, Canada. Through the EDRF it helps individuals, environmental organizations and community organizations use the law to protect their environment. The EDRF is an incredibly important program that has given a voice to people, communities and environmental organizations, resulting in a number of significant environmental victories.