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As of October 1^st, 2025, the Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/97-175 have been updated pursuant to the Guidelines Amending the Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/2025-166.

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What are the Federal Child Support Guidelines?

The Federal Child Support Guidelines, SOR/97-175 [the “Guidelines”] outline objectives, rules, and tables to determine and calculate the appropriate child support payable for children residing in all provinces and territories in Canada.

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The Guidelines were originally established in 1997 with the following main objectives:

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1. To establish a fair standard of child support so that children continue to benefit from both parents’ incomes after separation and/or divorce;
2. To minimize conflict and tension between parents by making the calculation of child support more clear and objective;
3. To ensure that parents and children in similar circumstances are treated fairly and consistently; and
4. To make the legal process more efficient and encourage settlement by giving courts and parents guidance regarding child support.[1]

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There are two branches of child support under the Guidelines. The first is commonly known as “section 3 child support” or “monthly child support”. Section 3 child support is a monthly payment made by one parent to the other parent to assist with monthly expenses. The parent receiving section 3 child support is not required to provide the paying parent with an accounting of the monthly child support or to allocate the section 3 child support strictly to expenses related to the children (e.g. activities, daycare, clothing, toys, etc.).

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The Guidelines contain section 3 child support tables for each province and territory [the “Tables”]. Through assistance of the Guidelines, parents can navigate the Tables and calculate section 3 child support with the following information:

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1. The annual income of the payor parent;
2. The number of children for which child support is payable; and
3. The province or territory in which the payor parent resides.

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Why have the Guidelines been updated?

Tables are designed using a set formula that considers federal, provincial, and territorial tax rules.[2]  Each province and territory has its own Table.

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As such, in order to ensure the Guidelines promote a fair and objective child support system, tax rules and their impact on the Guidelines must continually be assessed.[3] This requires updates or amendments to the Guidelines, specifically to the Tables, about every five years based on the most recent tax rules available.[4] These updates ensure that child support amounts reflect more current tax rules and are based, generally, on a parent’s current capacity to pay.[5]

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How do I calculate child support using the Guidelines?

To calculate a parent’s section 3 child support, you must know that parent’s annual income, the applicable number of children for which support will be paid, and the province or territory in which the parent resides. The easiest way to calculate section 3 child support is by visiting the following Government of Canada website, scrolling to the bottom, and inputting the requested information: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/child-enfant/2025/look-rech.aspx

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If you have questions about child support, or other family law related matters, our experienced family lawyers are here to help.