What happens to arrangements for children when we divorce in Ontario?

When a divorce involves children under 19, the court must be satisfied that reasonable arrangements have been made for each child's financial support before it will grant the divorce. This is a firm requirement under the Divorce Act — a judge can postpone the divorce if child support has not been addressed.

Parenting arrangements — who the children live with and how decisions about their lives are made — can be settled by agreement between the parents or ordered by the court. The Divorce Act uses the language of "parenting time" and "decision-making responsibility" rather than the older terms of custody and access. The court's overriding concern is the best interests of the child; parents' preferences are secondary to that standard.

Child support is calculated using the federal Child Support Guidelines, which tie the amount primarily to the paying parent's gross income and the number of children. The court can incorporate your agreed parenting plan and support arrangements into the divorce order itself, making them legally enforceable. If you reach agreement on these issues in a separation agreement beforehand, the divorce process is usually much smoother.