When parents separate or divorce in British Columbia, their legal responsibility to financially support their children remains—even if they relocate to another province or overseas.
One parent usually pays child support to the other parent to assist in meeting the various expenses involved in raising the child.
The calculation of how much support must be paid can become complex, so this article breaks down what you need to know when discussing child support with your spouse during a divorce or separation in BC.
Who must pay child support in BC?
It should be noted that child support is the child’s right in British Columbia, not the right of the parent with primary care of the child.
In most cases, the parent who spends less time with the child pays support to the parent who provides most of the day-to-day care (the “primary care” parent).
These principles apply whether the parents are married, live together in a marriage-like relationship (“common law”), or never lived together, though paternity may need to be proven for support to be ordered if the parents are not married.
If parenting time is approximately equal, the higher-earning parent usually pays the difference when the support calculation is made.
How is child support calculated in BC?
Child support is calculated in British Columbia using the federal Child Support Guidelines. The guidelines provide a set of publicly available tables that calculate the standard monthly child support payments based mainly on the paying parent’s gross income and the number of children from the relationship.
However, if custody is shared and parents spend approximately equal time with the child (i.e., each parent has the child at least 40 percent of the time), support payments are adjusted to account for this. The higher-earning parent will usually pay the difference because of the greater financial resources at their disposal for the child’s care.
Using these federal child support tables offers a semi-reliable estimate of the support obligation for paying parents. However, other factors must be considered with child support besides the standard monthly payments.
Special/Extraordinary expenses
Expenses such as childcare costs, medical/dental costs (not covered by insurance), special tutoring fees, or extracurricular activities (sports, music lessons, school trips, etc.) are usually considered separate from the table-calculated child support payments and impact the total amount a parent must pay.
These expenses are usually split in proportion to each parent’s income. A parent who earns 80 percent of the combined income would usually pay 80 percent of the special expenses.
Can child support be modified in BC?
Child support calculations are made at the time of separation or divorce. The family law system in BC recognizes that a lot can happen in the intervening years until the child reaches adulthood.
For instance, one parent could lose a job, change careers, receive a large raise, or face another significant change in financial circumstances.
Parents in BC must report income information every year, enabling the courts to modify a child support order to accurately reflect the present situation, if necessary. If a parent refuses to provide this income disclosure, the court can order it. If the information is still not provided, income can be imputed to that parent (more about this below).
Child support modifications may also be required if the parental responsibilities or parenting time arrangement alters or the needs of the child change. For instance, extra financial support may be required for educational, medical, or other special expenses.
The flexibility within the system ensures that BC child support arrangements closely reflect the current financial realities for parents and prevent the “hiding” of income or assets to reduce support payments.
Can child support be modified in BC?
Child support frequently ends when the child reaches the age of 19 in British Columbia but that is not necessarily the case. Legally, child support must continue until the child is no longer considered a “child of the marriage” or until the court or an agreement ends or modifies the obligation.
So, the child support obligation can be extended to cover:
- Children under 19 who are still in school or dependent on parents.
- Children over 19 who cannot achieve independence due to disability, illness, etc.
Parents facing special considerations when calculating child support should consult with a qualified child support lawyer for advice.
How can child support be enforced in BC?
In the majority of cases, parents want to financially support their children and protect their welfare. Sometimes, however, the paying parent can be slow to pay support or attempt to avoid payments completely.
Remember, support is the right of the child in BC and across Canada. It can be enforced if a child support order has been issued by the courts or the child support agreement between the parents has been filed with the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program (FMEP).
The FMEP is a provincial government service that has broad powers to collect and enforce support payments by:
- Garnishing wages with employers.
- Garnishing bank accounts.
- Placing liens on property.
- Suspending driver’s licenses.
- Reporting arrears to credit bureaus.
Imputing income for child support in BC
To impute income means to make a reasonable estimate of income based on an individual’s work history, qualifications, lifestyle, etc.
Courts in BC have the power to impute income if a parent fails to provide full financial disclosure when child support calculations are made—or if they intentionally reduce their income through unemployment (getting fired and not seeking a new position) or under-employment (reducing their hours without a good reason).
Income may also be imputed to parents in the following situations:
- Where service industry tips are unreported (which contravenes tax laws as well as child support laws).
- Where an individual is self-employed and benefits like car, meals, cell phone bills, etc. have not been reported/calculated.
- Where income is received from a trust.
- Where there is evidence of a parent deliberately hiding assets.
- Where an asset like real estate property is under-utilized (the property is not rented out despite the capacity to earn rental income).
Though these situations are not the norm, they do happen. The BC courts take a dim view of a parent attempting to “game” the child support system when it is there to protect a child’s right to support. A new calculation will be made, based on the higher imputed income. This can greatly impact calculations and lead to a higher monthly child support payment, as well as affect special/extraordinary expense payments.
Help with child support in BC
Because of the potential complexities with child support outlined above, legal assistance from an informed child support lawyer is advisable if you are trying to work out a fair child support arrangement with your spouse or are having difficulties reaching an agreement.
For a free 30-minute consultation about your legal options, contact the team at Legalbird today.
Date Modified:
- February 24, 2026
Benti Atwal
Family Law Expertise You Can Trust
Benti K. Atwal is a British Columbia family law lawyer who focuses on separation, divorce, parenting disputes, child support, spousal support, and property division. She takes a client-centered, trauma-informed approach, understanding that family law matters involve both complex legal issues and significant personal impact. Benti represents clients through negotiation, mediation, and court proceedings, advocating firmly when litigation is necessary while encouraging resolution where possible.
Her practice includes parenting arrangements, parenting time, parental responsibilities, guardianship, Section 7 expenses, support claims, and the division of family property and debt. She also assists with separation agreements, prenuptial agreements, and cohabitation agreements under British Columbia law. Benti speaks fluent Punjabi and conversational French and Gujarati, allowing her to serve a diverse range of families across BC with clarity and cultural sensitivity.
