Canadian Support Statistics (2009)

Here’s a sampling of recent statistics on child support and spousal support in Canada:

• The amount of unpaid child support and spousal support in Canada now totals more than $2.5 billion. The amount has risen by about $50 million since 2004, and there has been an increase in missed support payments of 2-3% each year since 2005.

• Canada currently has about 400,000 child support and spousal support cases. Around 67% of them are in compliance with their support orders.

• 64% of cases are in arrears, meaning that they owe money from previous missed payments.
• Around two-thirds of the cases with a regular payment owing had an amount due of $400 or less.
• Quebec is the province/territory with the highest percentage of support cases in which parents comply, at 72%. Northwest Territories has the lowest, at 54%. British Columbia and Alberta have the second-highest rate, at 65%, while Ontario has a percentage of 63%.
• Ontario now has about 186,000 support cases, according to the Family Responsibility Office of the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Of these cases, 35% are non-compliant and owing money, and 42% of the cases in arrears are more than a decade old.

• The Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services collected $652 million in support payments in 2008, an increase of $20 million from 2007.

(Source: Statistics Canada, unless otherwise noted)

For more divorce statistics, click here.

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