The Meadow Lake Tribal Council has signed a five-year justice diversion agreement.

The deal covers efforts to divert cases from the courts to alternative measures and other non-court solutions.

The first agreement was signed 13 years ago, and was subsequently renewed every year or every other year — but this is the first five-year agreement.

This also marks the first time Legal Aid has signed the deal.

MLTC justice mediation co-ordinator Joanne Roy says the program has proven itself, and the partners trust each other.

Other signatories include Crown prosecutors, the RCMP and the Northern Village of La Loche.