Child & Spousal Support

When a married couple separates or divorces, the spouse with the higher income sometimes pays money to the spouse with the lower income to balance the financial impact of the divorce so that the outcome is fair. This money is called “spousal support”. This resource provides basic explanations about spousal support agreements.

Family Justice Services are a group of programs and services offered by Alberta Justice in collaboration with the courts of Alberta. This webpage provides general information for those who are representing themselves in a family matter in either Court of Queen’s Bench or The Provincial Court of Alberta. Family Law includes all of the legal issues that arise when couples separate or when parties are parenting children together. Family Law does not include criminal charges against a family member, or issues that arise when a family member dies. This site provides general information only.

This Alberta government site provides informtation on how to apply for spousal or partner support if you or the other party lives outside Alberta. An Interjurisdictional Support Order (ISO) application can create, change or enforce a support order when the payor or recipient lives outside Alberta. Did you know you can prepare an ISO application if you: were divorced outside Canada, were never married, were married but a divorce action hasn’t been started, aren’t making a first-time application for support,  and haven’t started a divorce action in Alberta.

How to change an order for child support if the other party lives outside Alberta.

Includes information on:

1. How to change or end an order if you are receiving payments
2. How to change an order if you are making payments
3. What happens after you apply and
4. Appealing the court’s decision

This Alberta government webpage provides information on how to apply to change an agreement or court order for spousal and partner support. You can apply for: an increase, if you’re the recipient of support or a decrease, if you’re the payor of support. Links to the forms required to apply and information on how to complete the forms.

The guiding principle of Canada’s child support law is that children should continue to benefit from the financial means of both parents just as they would if the parents were still together. Therefore, if you are divorced or separated from the other parent, you are both responsible for supporting your children financially. This resource provides an explanation about child support orders and agreements.

Child Support Services is a free service through Alberta Works to help parents with limited incomes get child support agreements or court orders. Single parents and parents of blended families in the following programs are automatically eligible for help through Child Support Services: Income Support, Alberta Adult Health Benefit and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). From the left-side menu bar, users can access relevant publications and legislation.

Family Justice Services are a group of programs and services offered by Alberta Justice in collaboration with the courts of Alberta. Family Justice Services works directly with individuals and also with the judges of the Alberta Provincial Court and Court of Queen’s Bench to help people get appropriate solutions for their family law issues.

This booklet will give you general information about the law relating to guardianship, parenting, custody, access and contact.and the principles applied by the court when deciding matters relating to the care of children. If your application deals with these issues, you should read this booklet before starting to fill out your court forms. This information is general in nature, and is not intended to be an in-depth discussion of all legal issues relating to children.

The Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) is authorized by the Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Act to ensure that individuals meet their obligations to pay spousal and child support under the terms of their court orders and certain agreements. In cases of default (non-payment) by the debtor, MEP has the legislative authority to take steps to enforce the support owed. These enforcement tools include registrations at Land Titles and the Personal Property Registry, wage, non-wage and federal support deduction notices, federal licence (passport) denials, motor vehicle restrictions and driver’s licence suspensions. MEP also has access to a variety of databases to assist in locating a debtor or a debtor’s assets or income.

This information on how to apply for spousal and partner support in Alberta. You can apply for spousal or partner support as long as you have care and control over a child, even if you’re not their parent. Page provides information on getting started, documents needed, what forms to use, how to file a claim,  As well as information on how to file an interjurisdicational Support Order Applications if the other party lives outside Alberta.

This website has guides to separation and divorce for kids, for teens, and for parents. The information in the guides for kids and teens is delivered by drawn characters and the content is spoken and written in easily understood language. For parents, in addition to the guide, there are two online courses, Parenting After Separation, and Parenting After Separation: Finances. The kids’ and teens’ guides are also available in French.