Can I reduce child support if I lose my job or my income drops in Ontario?

A significant involuntary decrease in income can be grounds to vary a child support order, but the reduction does not happen automatically. You must either reach a written agreement with the other parent to adjust payments, or bring a motion to vary before the court. Until an order is formally changed, the existing amount continues to accrue and the FRO will continue enforcing it.

Courts will consider whether the income drop is genuine, involuntary, and lasting. Being laid off, suffering a serious illness, or a business failing are typically accepted as legitimate reasons to seek a variation. Voluntarily quitting a job, deliberately reducing hours, or choosing a lower-paying career without good reason may not justify a reduction — and the court may impute income at your previous level.

If you are facing a genuine income drop, act quickly. Document your job loss or income change with letters from your employer, EI records, or financial statements. Contact a lawyer as soon as possible, because the reduction will generally only apply from the date you bring the motion — not retroactively to when your income dropped. Letting arrears accumulate while you wait to address it makes the situation harder to resolve.