IMPORTANT LINKS
Family Law
For the Ontario Court Forms Assistant visit:
www.formsassistant.ontariocourtforms.on.ca
You can also review the Ministry’s guide to family court procedures to help you understand the family court rules, including the forms that must be completed at each stage. The guides are available at: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/guides/fc/..
For the location of the family court in your community, look in the blue pages of your telephone directory under “Courts” in the “Index-Government Listings” or visit the Ministry of the Attorney General Website at:
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/Court_Addresses/
For information on the steps in family cases and instructions on how to fill out the forms, the Ministry of the Attorney General website provides various guides to procedures at: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/guides/fc/.
Family Law Information Centers: For details about services provided, contact your local family court or visit the Ministry of the Attorney General website at: http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/family_justice_services.asp
Information Sessions are offered at family courts in Ontario. These sessions address the impact of separation and divorce on adults and children, and provide basic legal information. They are free of charge. For more locations and information visit the Ministry of the Attorney General website at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/family_justice_services.php.
Separate Ways video on separation and divorce is available through family courts and public libraries.
Moving Forward video follows one couple on their journey towards resolving their family law dispute, as well as parenting issues, and describes options for resolution such as the case conference and mediation. The video is available through family courts and public libraries.
Where Do I Stand: A Child’s Guide to Separation and Divorce is available in all family courts and at Publications Ontario. Visit the Ministry of the Attorney General website at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/wheredoi.php.
For pamphlets on family law and other legal issues contact:
Community Legal Education Ontario
119 Spadina Avenue
Suite 600
Toronto ON M5V 2L1
Tel.: 416-408-4420
Fax: 416-408-4424
Property Division
For an overview of property division, please visit:
https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/divorce/division_of_property/
For more information about the property division laws in Ontario, see the publication:
Separation and Divorce or Death of a Spouse: Property Division
For information on how to divide property if you separate or divorce, please visit:
Child Support Guidelines
Information about the Child Support Guidelines is available on the Ministry’s website at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/divorce/support/.
The Federal Department of Justice website contains a tool to help calculate the amount of child support that is owed in accordance with the Child Support Guidelines at:
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/fcy-fea/lib-bib/tool-util/apps/look-rech/index.asp.
Children
For information and/or help for children who may have been abused, your local children’s aid society may be able to help you. Look in the white pages of your telephone directory under “Children’s Aid Society” or consult the emergency numbers at the front of the telephone directory.
The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ website at www.oacas.org also provides contact information for all local children’s aid societies in Ontario.
Office of the Children’s Lawyer: call 416-314-8000 or visit the Ministry of the Attorney General website at: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/ocl/.
If a child has been taken outside of Canada without your permission:
Ministry of the Attorney General, Central Authority for Ontario for The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Call 416-240-2411. For more information on child abduction, please visit: www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/child_abduction/.
International Child Abductions: A Manual for Parents. To view the Manual visit the website at: www.voyage.gc.ca/publications/child-abductions_enlevements-enfants-eng.
“Our missing children” program c/o National Missing Children Services: In Ontario call toll-free 1-877-318-3576 or Fax: 613-993-5430. For more information, including links to other helpful sites, visit the web-site at: www.ourmissingchildren.gc.ca.
Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines
To learn what is spousal support, please visit:
https://stepstojustice.ca/questions/family-law/what-spousal-support
The Ministry's guides to Motions to change are available at:
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/famil/divorce/support/motion.php.
For a more in depth view of spousal support, please visit:
https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/divorce/support/spousal.php
More information about the spousal support guidelines is available at:
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/fl-df/spousal-epoux/ssag-ldfpae.html
Simple spousal support calculations can also be prepared on the following website:
http://mysupportcalculator.ca.
In order for FRO to enforce your support payments effectively, it is also important that your support order or domestic contract be clearly written. For more information on this, you may find it helpful to refer to the FRO website at www.theFRO.ca.
Domestic Violence
If you are involved in the family court process and are a victim of domestic violence you may also meet with a Family Court Support Worker. Family Court Support Workers are based in communities across the province. For a list of service providers, visit:
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/ovss/family_court_support_worker_program/
Information about how to obtain a restraining order is available on the Ministry of the General's website:
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/guides/restraining_order/.
Victim Support Line toll-free at 1-888-579-2888, or 416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area.
Assaulted Women’s Helpline: This is a toll-free crisis telephone service operating province-wide 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trained counselors can help you determine your options, provide information about local supports such as shelters and sexual assault centers and help you develop an immediate safety plan. Interpreters in 150 languages are available to respond to callers. Call 1-866-863-0511 or, in the Toronto calling area, 416-863-0511. TTY 1-866-863-7868.
French-Language Crisis Line: A toll-free crisis telephone service for Francophone women experiencing violence. Call 1-877-336-2433 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Aboriginal Issues
The Family Law Education for Women website provides various information booklets produced by the Ontario Native Women’s Association online. The family law topics covered include: child protection, support, custody/access, and marriage and divorce. These booklets can be accessed at:
onefamilylaw.ca/en/aboriginalwomen.
In some locations assistance is also available through the Aboriginal Family Courtworker Programme. Information about this program is available at:
www.ofifc.org/about-friendship-centres/programs-services/justice/aboriginal-family-courtwork-program