Child Support in Ontario: What Parents Need to Know

Child support is one of the most important financial issues following a separation or divorce. In Ontario, child support is not optional; it is the legal right of the child.

Whether parents were married, in a common-law relationship, or never lived together, both parents have a legal obligation to financially support their children.

Understanding how child support works in Ontario can help parents avoid disputes and ensure their children receive the financial support they are entitled to.

What Is Child Support?

Child support is money paid by one parent to the other to help cover the costs of raising a child. It is typically paid by the parent who spends less time with the child (often called the “payor parent”) to the parent who has primary care.

Child support is intended to help cover essential expenses, including the following:

• Housing
• Food
• Clothing
• School supplies
• Basic extracurricular activities

The goal of child support is to ensure that children continue to benefit financially from both parents after separation.

How Child Support Is Calculated in Ontario

In Ontario, child support is calculated using the Federal Child Support Guidelines under the Divorce Act and the Child Support Guidelines under the Family Law Act.

The amount of child support is primarily based on:

• The payor parent’s gross annual income
• The number of children
• The province where the payor parent resides

The Guidelines include tables that set out the base monthly amount of child support. In most cases, courts are required to follow these tables.

Determining Income: Line 15000 and Financial Disclosure

A parent’s income is the foundation of child support calculations.

In most cases, income is determined using Line 15000 (formerly Line 150) of a parent’s personal income tax return. This line reflects total income from all sources before deductions.

Income may include:

• Employment income
• Self-employment income
• Rental income
• Investment income
• Certain government benefits

Parents are generally required to provide full financial disclosure, including:

• Their most recent income tax return
• A Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
• Recent pay stubs (if applicable)

Providing complete and honest financial disclosure is essential in child support cases.

When Courts May Impute Income

In some situations, Line 15000 may not accurately reflect a parent’s true earning ability or income for support purposes. In these cases, a court may impute income, meaning it assigns an income amount to a parent for the purpose of calculating support.

Income may be imputed if a parent:

• Is intentionally underemployed or unemployed
• Is self-employed and deducting excessive business expenses
• Fails to provide proper financial disclosure

Courts take financial disclosure seriously. A failure to provide accurate information can lead to adjusted support amounts or court penalties.

Child Support in Shared Parenting Arrangements

If each parent has the child at least 40% of the time, the arrangement may be considered shared parenting under the Child Support Guidelines.

Child support does not automatically disappear in shared parenting situations. Instead, courts may:

• Compare each parent’s income
• Calculate a set-off amount between the two table amounts
• Consider the increased costs of maintaining two households for the child

Each case is assessed individually to ensure the outcome is fair and in the best interests of the child.

Special or Extraordinary Expenses (Section 7 Expenses)

In addition to base child support, parents may also be required to contribute to special or extraordinary expenses, commonly referred to as Section 7 expenses.

These may include:

• Childcare costs
• Medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
• Post-secondary education expenses
• Competitive sports or specialized extracurricular programs

These expenses are typically shared in proportion to each parent’s income, unless the parents agree otherwise.

How Long Does Child Support Last in Ontario?

Child support generally continues until a child turns 18 and finishes high school.

However, support may continue beyond age 18 if the child:

• Is enrolled in full-time post-secondary education
• Has a disability
• Is otherwise unable to become financially independent

The key consideration is whether the child remains financially dependent on their parents.

Annual Review of Child Support

Because child support is based on income, and income can change over time, parents are typically expected to review child support annually.

Why Annual Reviews Matter

An annual review helps ensure:

• The child receives the correct level of financial support
• Payments reflect each parent’s current financial situation
• Overpayments or underpayments are avoided
• Future disputes are minimized

Parents typically exchange updated financial documents each year, including:

• Their most recent income tax return
• Notice of Assessment
• Updated proof of income

Child support can then be adjusted based on the updated income and the Child Support Guidelines tables.

When a Formal Change Is Required

If parents cannot agree on a revised child support amount, or if there has been a material change in circumstances, a formal change may be required.

Examples of material changes include:

• A significant increase or decrease in income
• Job loss
• A change in parenting time
• A child no longer being financially dependent

To make the change legally enforceable, parents typically need a new court order or amended written agreement.

What Happens If Child Support Is Not Paid?

In Ontario, most child support orders are enforced by the Family Responsibility Office (FRO).

The FRO has broad enforcement powers and may:

• Garnish wages
• Suspend a driver’s licence
• Intercept tax refunds
• Place liens on property
• Hold a default hearing and place people in jail for their failure to pay support. 

Failing to pay child support can result in serious legal and financial consequences.

Final Thoughts

Child support is intended to ensure that children continue to receive financial stability and support after a family separation.

Ontario’s child support laws are designed to be predictable, consistent, and focused on the best interests of the child. If you are navigating separation or divorce, understanding your rights and obligations regarding child support is an important first step.

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