New program to help separated parents work out child support outside court

A new initiative from Saskatchewan’s justice ministry aims to save both costs and stress by helping divorced and separated parents work out child support without a trip to family court.

The new service expands on the existing Recalculation Service, which was launched in 2018 to provide a quicker way to update payment amounts for existing child support orders. Since then, the ministry said, it’s issued more than 500 recalculations, supporting 776 children.

While that service will continue, the new child support calculation service will go one step further, helping parents calculate child support amounts when they initially separate.

Brownyn Eyre, Saskatchewan’s justice minister, said the goal is to save both money and headaches for separated parents, who are already going through a difficult time.

Saskatchewan Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre. (980 CJME file photo)

“We know the family court process can be costly, complex and time-consuming causing additional stress to parents and children who are highly sensitive to conflict,” Eyre said in a statement.

“This service aims to take away some of that financial burden and stress allowing parents to focus on what really matters – their children.”

Under the pilot program, parents can apply for the service at no cost, without having to pay legal fees or fill out complex court applications.

The program requires consent from both parents, but Eyre said decisions are enforceable because it is a legal document.

“In some cases, there isn’t consent,” Eyre told reporters on Thursday.

“But if there is and when there is, then this is a very sure, clear way of pursuing an agreement on child support because it relates, obviously, to circumstances at the time, and if you can come to an agreement, that’s all the better for the two people who are involved but also, of course, for children by default.”

Eyre wasn’t able to estimate just how much time and resources the expansion would save, but acknowledged how difficult and time-consuming separation can be.

“The court process can be lengthy depending on some of the twists and turns along the way, but I think the hope is that on this support side — that this is a time saver, a money saver and an anxiety reliever,” she said.

The ministry noted that initiatives such as this “can have a significant positive impact on families by reducing the conflict children are exposed to,” while also freeing up time for family courts to focus on more urgent and important cases, such as abductions or domestic violence.

There are a number of other programs in place in Saskatchewan designed to help resolve family law issues outside of court, the ministry noted. Those include mandatory family dispute resolution, which requires families to participate in a resolution process before resolving issues in court.

The program is getting a $345,654 boost from the federal government over two years, and federal justice minister Arif Virani said it help improve access to justice for those going through a separation.

“Divorce is a reality for many Canadians,” Virani said in a statement. “Ensuring that Canada’s family justice system can effectively respond to the needs of families in these situations is crucial.”

According to Statistics Canada, there were 42,933 divorces granted in Canada in 2020.