Released on May 3, 2018
The province is providing parents with an alternative way to update their child support amounts through the recently-launched Saskatchewan Child Support Recalculation Service.The program will provide eligible parents who apply with a faster and less costly way to update their income information for child support payments. Rather than going through the courts, parents who apply to the Saskatchewan Child Support Recalculation Service will have their payments calculated by program staff based on their most recent income information. Either parent can apply to the program.
“The government understands that issues around child support payments can create unnecessary stress for parents,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said. “This pilot will take a lot of the strain out of that process, ensuring payments are accurate for both parents.”
Justice Canada is providing Saskatchewan with a total amount of $695,755 over four years for this pilot project through the Canadian Family Justice Fund, which supports innovative services.
“We are committed to helping alleviate child poverty, including by helping to ensure that child support amounts are fair and up-to-date,” said Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. “We are also committed to making family justice more accessible and less stressful for families experiencing a separation or divorce. This project will help to achieve those goals, and for that reason, we are happy to support it, and support families.”
Parents have an obligation to disclose changes in their income to ensure child support amounts are kept up-to-date. The Child Support Recalculation Service will require the parent paying child support to send updated financial information so that child support amounts can be updated accordingly. In instances where the parent does not provide the requested financial information, the amount may be increased as set out in The Family Maintenance Regulations, 1998.
The pilot will initially be focused on the Regina area. Parents who wish to take part in the pilot can call 1-833-825-1445 or apply online at www.saskatchewan.ca/child-support-recalculation.
The Ministry of Justice’s Maintenance Enforcement Office collected and distributed $42.7 million in child support payments in 2016-17.
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For more information, contact:
Noel Busse
Justice
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8959
Email: noel.busse@gov.sk.ca