Does Child Support Go Up Every Year in Ontario?

If you receive child support, you may wonder whether the amount should rise each year with the payor's income or with the cost of living. The short answer is that an order is usually a set amount until someone changes it.

This article explains what moves the number, what happened with the newest tables, and the practical ways to ask for an update in Ontario.

Support does not rise on its own each year

Updated Federal Child Support Tables took effect on October 1, 2025. Ontario's government says the new table amounts apply to all Ontario child support matters starting that date.

That does not mean your existing order moved. The 2025 tables do not automatically change an order made before October 1, 2025. Whether your own order or agreement has any built-in adjustment depends on its wording, so read it closely or have a lawyer read it.

What decides the amount

The table amount depends on the paying parent's annual income, the number of children and the province where the paying parent lives. The basic amount is the table amount for the number of children under the age of majority, plus any special or extraordinary expenses under section 7.

To show how income affects the figure, here are some monthly amounts from the 2025 Ontario table at the start of an income band.

Amounts inside a band are slightly higher, because each band adds a percentage of income above its starting point.

Income updates are different from amount updates

On written request, no more than once a year, the paying parent must provide updated income documents within 30 days. Ontario guidance also describes the paying parent giving proof of income, such as the last tax return and notice of assessment or reassessment, every year.

Receiving updated income information does not change the order by itself. It gives you the information you need to decide whether to ask for a change.

How to ask for an update

A court may vary a child support order on application by either former spouse, but it must first be satisfied that a change of circumstances has occurred since the order was made or last varied. Any change that would result in a different child support order counts, such as a drop in the payor's income after a job loss.

For orders made before October 1, 2025, a difference between the old amount and the 2025 table amount may count as a change in circumstances, which lets a parent ask a court or the recalculation service to update the order.

• Court: Form 15 asks for a change without the other parent's consent, and Form 15D is used where both consent.
• Online: Ontario's Child Support Service can update support without court and issues a Notice of Recalculation that is sent to the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) for enforcement.
• The online service is unavailable in several situations, including shared or split parenting, a self-employed payor, or a payor earning over $150,000 or under $12,000.

FRO cannot change the amount owed; only a judge can, and arrears keep building under the existing order until it is changed.

What to do next

• Find your order or agreement and note its date and any wording about adjustments.
• Gather the payor's recent income documents, or request them in writing if the yearly request is available.
• Compare your current amount with the table amount for the payor's income and number of children.
• Decide whether the online service or court is the right route for your situation.
• Speak with a lawyer if income is hard to pin down or the payor is self-employed.

Frequently asked questions