The P.E.I. government says doubling the small claims limit improves access to justice and allows more Islanders to resolve disputes in a simple and inexpensive way, according to news release.

Last week, the small claims limit increased to $16,000 from $8,000.

The province says the change was the result input from several organizations, including the judiciary, the legal community, the Law Society of Prince Edward Island, the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the PEI Access to Justice Committee and the Community Legal Information Association of Prince Edward Island.

"By increasing the number of claims that can be handled through the civil claim process, resources can be used more efficiently and the courts can focus on complicated or sensitive cases," said Premier Wade MacLauchlan, also minister of justice and public safety and attorney general, in the release.