Child Support With a 50/50 Parenting Schedule in Ontario

Many parents assume that equal time means nobody pays child support. The law is more nuanced than that, and the answer often depends on the incomes of both parents and the real costs of running two homes.

This article explains how the shared parenting rule works, how the two table amounts are compared, and how this differs from split parenting. It is general information, not advice.

What counts as shared parenting

Under the federal Guidelines that apply to spouses under the Divorce Act, the key test for shared parenting is whether each spouse has at least 40% of parenting time with a child over a year. Justice Canada's guide describes shared parenting as at least 40% with each parent in a year, and a majority of parenting time as more than 60% with one parent.

If you were never married, or you are married but not seeking a divorce, different Ontario rules may apply to you. How this works in your situation depends on the facts, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

A true 50/50 schedule easily meets the 40% test. But so does a schedule such as 60/40, which is why the rule matters for many families who do not split time exactly in half.

Does anyone still pay?

Possibly. When the 40% test is met, the court sets support by considering three things: the table amounts for each spouse, the increased costs of shared parenting arrangements, and the conditions, means, needs and other circumstances of each spouse and child. There is no automatic formula.

In practice, that means the incomes of both parents matter. If incomes are similar, the two table amounts may be close to each other. If one parent earns much more, that parent may still be ordered to pay something, because the court also looks at the needs of the child and each household.

Comparing the two table amounts

To see how the comparison works, take a simple illustration with one child. In the 2025 Ontario table, the monthly amount is $932 at a payor income of $100,000 and $450 at $50,000. Comparing those two figures shows how much the table amount can differ depending on each parent's income.

That comparison is only a way of understanding the starting figures. It is not a rule that decides the result, because the court must also consider the increased costs of shared parenting and each spouse's circumstances. Justice Canada has consulted on making the set-off of the two table amounts the starting point, but that is a proposal and not law in force.

Remember too that the table amount depends on the paying parent's annual income, the number of children and the province where that parent lives.

Split parenting is different

Split parenting applies when there is more than one child and each parent has a majority of parenting time with at least one of them. In that case, support is the difference between the table amounts each spouse would otherwise pay the other. This is the set-off.

• Shared parenting: each parent has at least 40% of time with a child; the court considers the factors above and there is no automatic formula.
• Split parenting: each parent has the majority of time with at least one child; the set-off applies.

Extra costs for things like child care or school may be dealt with separately. Section 7 expenses are paid on top of the table amount, and the guiding principle is that spouses share them in proportion to their incomes.

What to do next

• Keep a calendar showing the real schedule over a full year.
• Gather your own three years of tax returns and notices of assessment, along with proof of current income, since these are what an Ontario court application needs.
• List costs for child care, health, school and activities.
• Write down any changes to the schedule and the dates they started.
• Get legal advice before signing an agreement, since the court must be satisfied that support arrangements for the child are reasonable.

Ontario's online Child Support Service cannot be used if parenting time is shared or split, so shared parenting cases generally go through an agreement or the court.

Frequently asked questions