Myths about Child Support.

• Date: 01 September 2021
• Author: Dargatz, Sarah

Debunking the myths and legends that haunt family law.

This article continues our series on debunking the myths and legends that haunt family law. Today's topic: myths on ways to avoid paying child support.

A note about child support

First, let's address what underlies these myths: that child support is something to be avoided. Canada's lawmakers and courts have found that dependency and obligation follow the parent-child relationship. In the 2006 case of DBS v SRG, the Supreme Court of Canada noted that "upon the birth of a child, parents are immediately placed in the roles of guardians and providers" (paragraph 36). It further noted in the 2011 case of Kerr v Baranow that "both parents must put their child's interest ahead of their own" and "child support is the right of the child" (paragraph 208).

Parents have an obligation to support their children whether or not they are in a relationship with each other. If the parents separate, a fair amount of child support must be paid, as set by our elected lawmakers. Paying child support is simply meeting...