Will an Ontario court order dependant support as a lump sum or as ongoing periodic payments?

Either, or a combination of both — it depends on what fits the estate and the dependant's actual needs. Under Part V of the SLRA, courts have discretion to structure support in whatever form suits the case: a lump sum, ongoing periodic payments, or a mix of the two. Periodic payments work like a maintenance arrangement and suit a dependant who needs steady ongoing income, such as a young child or a spouse with no other income. But periodic support requires the estate to stay open longer and the trustee to keep managing it, which isn't practical for every estate.

A lump sum resolves the claim once and lets the estate close sooner, but it requires enough liquid assets to fund it. Courts weigh the size and nature of the estate, other beneficiaries' interests, and the dependant's own circumstances — age, health, ability to earn income, and whether they need capital or ongoing income — in choosing between the two. There's no default form that applies automatically; it's part of what gets argued and decided within the claim itself. A dependant with a preference should raise it early, since it shapes the relief actually sought.