Child Support — Quebec
Sourced from Canadian federal statutes and official sources. Provincial information reflects each province's own legislation and court rulings. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Both parents are financially responsible for their children — that's the foundational principle. The Federal Child Support Guidelines turn it into numbers: standard amounts based on the payer's income and the number of children.
The tables get refreshed by the Department of Justice periodically — always check the current version at justice.gc.ca. On top of the table amount, parents share section 7 expenses — daycare, medical costs, education, extracurriculars — in proportion to their incomes.
The single most important legal point about child support: it is the child's right, not the other parent's. It cannot be waived by agreement. A "we agreed to no support" clause has no legal effect, full stop. Support continues until the child turns 18, or longer if the child remains dependent — full-time post-secondary, or living with a disability.
One narrow carve-out: if the payer earns under $16,000 per year, there's no table obligation.
When does it apply?
Child support kicks in when:
- Parents separate or divorce and have children under 18 (or older but dependent).
- The rule covers married and common-law parents alike.
- The payer is usually the parent with less parenting time.
What to Do If the Other Parent in Canada Refuses to Pay Child Support
- Pull the table amount at justice.gc.ca using your income and number of children.
- Identify section 7 expenses and split them by income share.
- Exchange full financial disclosure — tax returns, pay stubs, notices of assessment.
- Lock the amount in a written agreement or court order. Verbal arrangements unravel.
- Review whenever income changes materially. Both sides have skin in keeping the number current.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't stop paying without a court order — even if you're being denied parenting time. The two are legally separate, and self-help loses.
- Don't hide income. Courts can impute income based on capacity, and they're getting better at it.
- Don't try to waive support. The waiver isn't enforceable.
- Don't assume support ends at 18. It continues for full-time students and dependent adults.
- Don't pay informally without records. Proof of every payment matters; cash without receipts is the same as not paying.
How Quebec differs from federal law
Child support in Quebec is calculated using Quebec's own child support determination model, which is set out in the Regulation respecting the determination of child support payments. This is different from the Federal Child Support Guidelines used in other provinces for provincial matters.
- Quebec uses a fixed model based on both parents' incomes and the custody arrangement. The model uses tables that specify a basic child support amount, to which certain special expenses may be added.
- Both parents complete a Statement of Fixation of Child Support (Form FP) that calculates each parent's contribution based on their respective incomes and the number of children.
- The model accounts for custody time: if one parent has sole custody, the other pays according to the tables. If custody is shared (40% or more time with each parent), the calculation adjusts to reflect both parents' costs of housing and feeding the child.
- Revenu Quebec collects and enforces child support payments through a mandatory automatic deduction system — support payments are deducted directly from the paying parent's income source and transferred to the receiving parent by Revenu Quebec (unless both parents jointly opt out).
- Child support amounts can be modified if there is a significant change in circumstances (such as a change in income or custody arrangement). Either parent can apply to the court for a variation.
Additional Steps in Quebec
Use the child support determination model (available at justice.gouv.qc.ca) to calculate estimated support. File with the Superior Court of Quebec to have child support ordered. Once ordered, Revenu Quebec will collect and transfer payments automatically. To modify an existing order, apply to the court with evidence of changed circumstances.
Relevant Law: Civil Code of Quebec, arts. 585-596; Regulation respecting the determination of child support payments (CQLR c C-25.01, r. 0.4); Act to facilitate the payment of support (CQLR c P-2.2)
Common Questions
What is the child support right in Canada?
Both parents are financially responsible for their children — that's the foundational principle. The Federal Child Support Guidelines turn it into numbers: standard amounts based on the payer's income and the number of children.The tables get refreshed by the Department of Justice periodically — always check the current version at justice.gc.ca. On top of the table amount, parents share section 7 expenses — daycare, medical costs, education, extracurriculars — in proportion to their incomes.The single most important legal point about child support: it is the child's right, not the other parent...
When does child support apply?
Child support kicks in when:Parents separate or divorce and have children under 18 (or older but dependent).The rule covers married and common-law parents alike.The payer is usually the parent with less parenting time.
What should I do if my ex-partner in Canada is not paying court-ordered child support?
Pull the table amount at justice.gc.ca using your income and number of children.Identify section 7 expenses and split them by income share.Exchange full financial disclosure — tax returns, pay stubs, notices of assessment.Lock the amount in a written agreement or court order. Verbal arrangements unravel.Review whenever income changes materially. Both sides have skin in keeping the number current.
What mistakes should I avoid with child support?
Don't stop paying without a court order — even if you're being denied parenting time. The two are legally separate, and self-help loses.Don't hide income. Courts can impute income based on capacity, and they're getting better at it.Don't try to waive support. The waiver isn't enforceable.Don't assume support ends at 18. It continues for full-time students and dependent adults.Don't pay informally without records. Proof of every payment matters; cash without receipts is the same as not paying.
Child Support in other states
Same topic, different jurisdiction. Pick the one that applies to you.