Can a Grandparent or Relative Get Child Support in Ontario?

Many grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives step in to raise a child when the parents cannot. The costs are real: food, housing, clothing, school and activities. It is natural to ask whether the child's parents can be required to contribute.

The answer is not as simple as it is for a parent. This article explains what Ontario's official guidance says about caregivers, how child support amounts are generally worked out, and how a claim moves through the process. It is general information, not advice on your situation.

Who can ask for support: the question to settle first

Ontario's public guidance on arranging child support refers to the paying person as the 'paying parent or caregiver' and the receiving person as the 'other parent or caregiver'. That wording shows the process is not described only in terms of two parents.

The federal Divorce Act provision on child support speaks of an application by either or both spouses. A grandparent or relative is usually not a spouse of either parent, so that provision is unlikely to be the route for most caregivers.

Whether a particular grandparent or relative has the right to bring a claim depends on the facts and on which law applies. This is the point where a short conversation with a family lawyer is most useful before you spend time on forms.

How the amount is worked out

Where the guidelines apply, the basic child support amount depends on the number of children, the province where the paying parent lives, and the paying parent's annual income. For children under the age of majority, the presumptive order is the table amount plus any special or extraordinary expenses.

The table figures below are monthly amounts in Ontario for a paying parent at the stated annual income. They are from the 2025 table, which took effect on October 1, 2025.

Figures for these brackets come from Ontario's Schedule I. The brackets are $1,000 wide, so incomes between brackets are interpolated. The simplified tables are rounded, so the official tables or the federal simple calculator give the exact number.

What can change the number

The table amount is a starting point. A court may add special or extraordinary expenses at either parent's request, such as child care tied to employment or education, the child's share of health and dental premiums, and extraordinary school or extracurricular costs. Basic calculators usually leave these out.

Income also matters. A paying parent's income is generally taken from the 'Total income' sources on the T1 General tax return. A court can impute income, for example where a parent is intentionally under-employed or diverts income, so a calculator using a declared income may differ from a court's figure.

• If the paying parent earns over $150,000, the court applies the table unless it considers that inappropriate.
• If the child spends at least 40% of the year with each parent, the amount is not simply the table amount.
• A parent can ask the court for a different amount on the ground of undue hardship.
• How these rules apply when a non-parent is caring for the child depends on the facts, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

How a claim moves forward

Ontario describes three ways to arrange child support: apply online through the Child Support Service, make a written agreement with or without a lawyer or mediator, or file documents in court. Which of these is open to you depends on your standing, which is why it is best to settle that question first.

In court, you file a general application on Form 8 with a Continuing Record. If you ask for support, financial disclosure is required, using Form 13 for a support-only claim. Someone at least 18 other than the applicant must deliver the documents by special service, and you then file Form 6B, the Affidavit of Service.

Where a first appearance is scheduled, the respondent has 30 calendar days to answer if served in Canada or the US, and 60 calendar days elsewhere. Filing is free at the Ontario Court of Justice, while the Superior Court may charge a fee unless you qualify for a waiver. Divorce and property claims are heard only in the Superior Court, and in 25 locations a unified Family Court hears all family matters including child support.

After an order or agreement is in place

Support set up online or in court is filed automatically with the Family Responsibility Office (FRO). A written agreement can be filed with the court using a Form 26B affidavit, and can still be registered with FRO by sending FRO a copy.

The paying parent must give the other side proof of income every year, including their last income tax return and most recent notice of assessment or reassessment. If payments stop, FRO has tools such as bank garnishment, licence suspension and credit bureau reporting. Only a judge can change the amount in an order, not FRO.

What to do next

• Write down how long the child has lived with you and who has been paying for what.
• Gather any existing court orders, agreements or Children's Aid paperwork.
• Note what you know about each parent's income and where they live.
• Keep receipts for child care, medical, school and activity costs.
• Ask a family lawyer whether you can bring your own claim and which court is right.

Frequently asked questions