How Much Is Child Support in Ontario? Examples by Income

Most parents want a dollar figure before they want anything else. The honest answer is that child support in Ontario starts with a table amount based on the paying parent's income, and then other factors can change it.

This article walks through how the figure is built, using an official example, so you can estimate roughly what to expect. The exact monthly amount for one, two or three children comes from the current Ontario table, so use this to understand the steps, then check the table itself or speak with a lawyer.

How the table amount works

Basic child support follows tables in the Guidelines. Annual income is determined using the sources under the 'Total income' heading of the T1 General tax form, adjusted under Schedule III. How the table applies to the number of children in your family is worth confirming against the current table.

The tables were updated by SOR/2025-166, and Ontario.ca says the new amounts apply to all Ontario child support matters starting October 1, 2025. If you are looking at older figures online, they may be out of date.

The low-income starting point also changed. Under the archived notes, no support was payable below $12,000 of annual income, while the 2025 tables begin at $16,000 with a $0 basic amount. What a court does for incomes below the first row depends on the facts, so ask a lawyer.

A worked example

Justice Canada's Step 7 example uses a $765 basic table amount. In that example, the parent earning $80,000 of a combined $155,000 paid about $516.13 per month toward a $12,000 yearly special expense, in addition to the $765.

Putting the two pieces together shows how a real figure builds up. The table amount is the starting point. A share of special expenses is then added, in proportion to income. Here, that parent's share of the combined income was $80,000 out of $155,000, and that proportion was applied to the $12,000 expense.

For your own estimate, start with the table amount for your income, then add your proportionate share of any special expenses, such as child care, health costs, school costs or extraordinary activities. The $765 figure is only from that example and is not a rule for any particular income.

What can move the figure up or down

Income is not always just last year's. The court may look at the spouse's income over the last three years if the current year would not be the fairest. Income from sources such as employment insurance, social assistance, a pension, workers' compensation or disability payments is among the income that must be disclosed.

When income is lower or has dropped

A court can impute income if a parent is intentionally under-employed or unemployed, except where the child's needs, or the parent's reasonable educational or health needs, require it. Imputation can also apply to diverted income, property not used to generate income, failing to provide required income information, and unreasonable deductions of expenses.

The Court of Appeal has upheld use of a payor's prior three-year average income where he had not adequately explained why he left a much more lucrative arrangement, so a voluntary drop in income must be explained. On the other hand, once a payor became unintentionally unemployed, it was not appropriate to impute his former full salary while imputing no income to the recipient. Intent to evade support is not required for intentional under-employment.

If your circumstances really change, a change that would result in a different child support order allows variation. Only a court can change the amount, and the payor should keep paying until told in writing they can stop.

What to do next

To get a number you can rely on, use your own income documents and the current Ontario table. A lawyer can run the figures and tell you whether any of the adjustments above apply to you.

• Gather your last three years of tax returns and notices of assessment.
• Gather the other parent's income information, if you have it.
• Count the children and confirm how much time each child spends with each parent.
• List special expenses such as child care, health costs and activities, with receipts.
• Check whether income is above $150,000 or unusually low or irregular.
• Use the current Ontario table, in force from October 1, 2025, and not an older chart.

Frequently asked questions