GUELPH-WELLINGTON
FAMILY MEDIATION
A Better Path Forward
Our Services
At Guelph-Wellington Family Mediation, we provide compassionate, professional support to individuals and families navigating separation and divorce. Our services are designed to help you reach fair, lasting agreements—without the stress, cost, or delay of going to court.
We offer a range of family mediation services that prioritize communication, cooperation, and the well-being of any children involved. Whether you are just starting the separation process or looking to update an existing agreement, we’re here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Parenting Plans
What Is a Parenting Plan?.
A parenting plan is a written agreement that outlines how parents will raise their children after a separation or divorce. It focuses on the day-to-day responsibilities of parenting and helps reduce misunderstandings by setting clear expectations for both parties.
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Why Do Parenting Plans Matter?
A well-structured parenting plan helps:
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Provide stability and routine for children
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Reduce conflict and improve co-parenting communication
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Avoid misunderstandings and future disputes
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Empower parents to make decisions that work best for their family...
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What Does a Parenting Plan Include?
Every parenting plan is unique, but most include these key components: .
1) Parenting Time
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Regular weekday and weekend arrangements
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Holiday schedules (e.g., Christmas, Thanksgiving, school breaks)
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Summer vacation and travel time
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Transition times and pick-up/drop-off details
2) Decision-Making Responsibility
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How major decisions will be made about:
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Health and medical care
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Education
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Religious or cultural upbringing
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Extracurricular activities
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3) Communication Guidelines
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How parents will communicate (e.g., email, phone, parenting apps)
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Expectations for response times and tone
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Guidelines for child-parent communication when with the other parent
4) Travel and Relocation
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Requirements for travel consent, passports, and notice of out-of-town trips
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What happens if one parent wishes to move to another city or province
Child Support
Understanding Child Support
When parents separate or divorce, both remain financially responsible for their children. Child support is a legal obligation designed to ensure that children continue to benefit from the financial support of both parents, no matter where they live.
Calculating Child Support
In Ontario, child support is calculated using the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which consider:
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The paying parent’s gross annual income
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The number of children
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The province of residence
The Guidelines provide a base monthly amount that covers day-to-day expenses like food, shelter, and clothing. This is often referred to as table child support.
Section 7 - Special Extraordinary Expenses
In addition to regular support, parents may share in Section 7 expenses, which are above and beyond the basic support and are usually split in proportion to their incomes.
Examples of Section 7 Expenses:
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Child care costs (e.g., daycare or after-school programs)
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Health-related expenses not covered by insurance (e.g., orthodontics, therapy)
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Educational costs (e.g., tutoring, private school)
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Extracurricular activities (e.g., sports, music lessons)
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Post-secondary education
Spousal Support
Understanding Spousal Support
Spousal support—sometimes called alimony—is financial assistance paid by one spouse to the other after separation or divorce. Its purpose is to recognize each partner’s contributions to the relationship and help ensure that both can move forward with financial stability.
Who May Qualify for Spousal Support?
Spousal support is not guaranteed. Whether someone is entitled to receive it depends on several factors, including:
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The length of the relationship or marriage
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Differences in income or future earning potential
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Roles played during the relationship (e.g., stay-at-home parenting)
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Each person’s financial needs and ability to pay
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Any existing agreements, such as prenuptial or cohabitation agreements
Spousal support may serve to compensate a spouse for sacrifices made during the relationship, address financial hardship after separation, or help maintain a reasonable standard of living.
How Is Spousal Support Calculated?
Unlike child support, there are no fixed rules for spousal support in Ontario. However, mediators and lawyers often refer to the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG), which offer a range to help parties negotiate fair and reasonable support.
The SSAG provide:
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A low, mid, and high range for monthly payments
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A suggested duration for how long support should be paid
The calculation is based primarily on:
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The gross annual incomes of both parties
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The length of the relationship
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Whether there are dependent children
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The type of support (e.g., monthly or lump sum)
Division of Assets
Overview
When a relationship ends, one of the most important steps is dividing the assets and debts accumulated during the relationship. The process can be complex and emotionally charged, often requiring experienced guidance to ensure a fair outcome.
What Needs to Be Divided?
The division of assets typically includes:
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The family home
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Bank accounts and savings
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Vehicles
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Pensions and RRSPs
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Investments
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Business interests
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Debts (credit cards, loans, lines of credit)
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Personal belongings of significant value .
How these assets are divided depends on whether the couple was legally married or common-law. Ontario law treats these relationships differently.
Married Couples
In Ontario, married spouses are entitled to a process called equalization of net family property, which ensures that both parties share equally in the financial growth during the marriage.
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Each spouse calculates their net worth on the date of marriage and again on the date of separation.
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The difference (growth in net worth) is compared, and the spouse with the higher increase pays the other half the difference.
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Certain assets—like inheritances or gifts—may be excluded if they were kept separate.
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The matrimonial home is treated specially: both spouses share equally in its value, even if one owned it before the marriage.
Common-Law Couples
Common-law couples in Ontario do not have the same legal rights as married spouses when it comes to property division.
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Assets are divided based on ownership—who paid for or holds title to each item.
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There is no automatic right to share in the value of the family home or other property unless it was jointly owned.
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Joint assets are typically split evenly or based on contribution.
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In certain situations, one partner may make a claim for compensation if they contributed significantly to property held in the other partner’s name (e.g., home renovations, mortgage payments). These are called trust claims and are more complex.
