How long does spousal support typically last in Ontario?

The duration of spousal support depends on the length of the relationship, the ages of the spouses, the presence of children, and the recipient's ability to become self-sufficient. There is no fixed rule, but the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG) provide a widely-used framework.

For marriages without children, the SSAG typically suggest a duration ranging from half to one full year of support for each year of cohabitation. For marriages with children where the recipient has a primary caregiving role, support is often longer — potentially indefinite — especially if young children mean the recipient cannot be expected to return to work quickly.

In practice, courts describe support as either "time-limited" or "indefinite." Time-limited support is appropriate when the recipient has the education, skills, and opportunity to become self-sufficient within a foreseeable period. Indefinite does not mean permanent: it means no fixed end date has been set, leaving the door open for future variation if circumstances change. Very long marriages, especially those where one spouse left the workforce entirely, are more likely to generate indefinite support.