Quebec

The province of Quebec has created its own guidelines and received a designation from the federal government.

This means that provincial child support guidelines apply to parents who are divorced or separated if both parents live in Quebec. Provincial child support guidelines also apply in cases where parents have never been married.

However, if one of the parents is applying for a child support order, or for a variation of a child support order, under the Divorce Act and one parent lives outside of Quebec, then the federal guidelines may apply.

Go to Quebec's Internet site on child support.

What is a designation?

If a province or territory wishes to create its own child support guidelines in place of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, it may do so if its guidelines contain certain elements.

If a province or territory creates its own guidelines, the Divorce Act allows the federal government to "designate" that province. This means that the province's guidelines apply in place of the federal guidelines. To obtain a designation, the province or territory must show that its guidelines contain certain elements set out in the Divorce Act.