When couples separate in Canada, they are legally obliged to support their children and sometimes their ex-partners, but CBC News has learned that almost two-thirds of court orders for family maintenance are in arrears. There is the law, but it seems not enough staff to enforce it.
After a break-up, couples typically go to court to determine support obligations. The obligation to pay will depend on income levels of each partner and who takes care of the children most of the time. But some people simply ignore what the court orders. Experts say that 97 per cent of so-called ‘deadbeats’ are men.
Provinces and territories are responsible for enforcing the maintenance orders. Some directly deduct payments from an individual’s paycheck, others publish the names of deadbeats, and sometimes jail time is imposed.
Not enough staff
Deadbeats across Canada owe more than $3.7 billion dollars, according to CBC, and experts say there aren’t enough staff to do an adequate job of monitoring the nearly half a million open files across the country. CBC’s data reveal there are just over 1,600 full-time jobs devoted to managing more than 470,000 open cases.
Not only do mothers complain they don’t get money they need to take care of their children, some fathers say they have trouble getting their obligations changed if they lose their jobs.
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