The pieces a workable Ontario parenting plan actually needs — schedule, decision-making, communication and the details that prevent arguments later.
⚖️ This is general information, not legal advice. It can't account for your specific situation. Use it to get oriented, then confirm the details with a licensed Ontario lawyer.
A parenting plan is the written document that turns parenting time and decision-making responsibility from an idea into something you can actually follow on a Tuesday morning. Whether it ends up as part of a separation agreement, attached to a court order, or simply a document the two of you follow by agreement, the plans that hold up are the detailed ones — vague terms like 'reasonable access' or 'flexible schedule' are the ones that end up back in a lawyer's office months later. This worksheet goes through the sections a solid plan covers, so you can build yours piece by piece rather than starting from a blank page.
The regular schedule
Set out exactly which days and overnights each parent has in a normal week or two-week cycle, including pick-up and drop-off times and locations. Vague terms cause more disputes than any other part of a plan — 'every other weekend' is a starting point, not a finished clause; specify which day it starts and ends.
Think about the children's actual routine, not an abstract ideal of fairness between the parents: school schedule, activities, nap or bedtime needs for younger children, and how much moving between homes a particular child handles well.
Holidays and special days
- School breaks, statutory holidays and religious holidays, with a clear rule for alternating years where that applies
- Birthdays — the child's, and each parent's — and whether they take priority over the regular schedule
- Summer vacation blocks, including how much notice each parent gives the other before booking travel
- A rule for what happens when a holiday and the regular schedule conflict, so it does not need to be renegotiated every year
Decision-making responsibility
State clearly whether major decisions — health, education, religion, significant extracurricular activities — are shared jointly, split by category between the parents, or held by one parent alone. Under the Children's Law Reform Act and the Divorce Act, decision-making responsibility is judged on the child's best interests and can be allocated differently than parenting time.
If decision-making is shared, include a process for what happens when you disagree — a deadline to respond to the other parent, and a named next step such as mediation, before either of you assumes the other has no say.
Communication and information sharing
- How and how often the parents will communicate about the children — a shared app, email, or a specific day for logistics
- Who will attend school events, medical appointments and extracurricular activities, and how information from them is shared with the other parent
- Whether both parents are listed as emergency contacts and have direct access to school and medical records
- How to handle a new partner being introduced to the children, if this matters to either of you
Changing the plan
Children's needs change as they grow, and a plan written for a toddler rarely still fits a teenager. Build in a review point — an age, a school transition, or simply an annual check-in — rather than assuming the plan is permanent.
Note that a parenting plan attached to a court order or a separation agreement can be varied later where there has been a material change in circumstances, but courts are generally reluctant to disturb a routine that is genuinely working, since stability itself is one of the factors in a child's best interests.
How Treadstone Law can help
A parenting plan does not need to anticipate every possible situation, but the more specific it is about the ordinary week, the fewer disputes come up about the unusual one. Have your own lawyer review the final draft, particularly the decision-making and dispute-resolution sections, before it becomes part of an agreement or an order.
Treadstone Law handles family matters on a transparent flat fee, with online intake and a real lawyer on your file, across Ontario.
- Start your file online at treadstonelaw.ca/start-file
- See flat-fee pricing at treadstonelaw.ca/pricing
- Learn more about our family services at treadstonelaw.ca/family
- Or call us: 1-844-900-1070
This is not legal advice
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Ontario laws and government programs change, and how the law applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, speak with a licensed Ontario lawyer. Treadstone Law is licensed by the Law Society of Ontario — reach us at 1-844-900-1070 or start a file online.