How Child Support Works With Parenting Time in Quebec

Quebec Uses Its Own Child Support Model

Unlike every other Canadian province, Quebec doesn't follow the federal Child Support Guidelines. The province uses its own income-shares model under the Regulation respecting the determination of child support payments, filed through the Child Support Determination Form (commonly called Annexe I or Schedule I). This model combines both parents' disposable incomes to determine a total annual obligation, then divides it proportionally.

The custody arrangement you agree on directly determines which section of the form you fill out and which formula applies to your family. Getting the parenting-time split right isn't just about schedules — it's about money.

Step 1: Calculate Each Parent's Disposable Income

Each parent's disposable income starts with their gross annual income from all sources: salary, business income, rental income, employment insurance, and investment returns. From this, subtract three things:

• The basic deduction (CA$13,865 for 2026) — the minimum amount the government considers necessary for a parent's own basic living expenses
• Annual union dues, if applicable
• Annual professional licensing fees, if applicable

Income taxes and payroll deductions (QPP, EI) are not subtracted here — they're already built into the official contribution tables.

The result is your disposable income. Both parents' disposable incomes are then combined to create the household total.

Step 2: Find the Basic Parental Contribution

Take the combined disposable income and the number of dependent children to the official Basic Parental Contribution Determination Table (Schedule I of the regulation). The table provides the annual base amount the law considers necessary to raise the children.

Each parent's share of this contribution is proportional to their share of the combined income. If Parent A has CA$60,000 disposable and Parent B has CA$40,000, the combined total is CA$100,000. Parent A's share is 60%, Parent B's is 40%. If the table says the basic contribution for two children at that income level is CA$15,000, Parent A is responsible for CA$9,000 and Parent B for CA$6,000.

Step 3: Apply the Custody Formula

This is where the parenting-time split enters the calculation. Quebec uses three different formulas depending on the custody classification:

Sole Custody (Non-Custodial Parent Has Under 73 Nights)

The non-custodial parent pays their proportional share of the basic contribution directly to the custodial parent. No offset, no reduction. This is the simplest calculation.

Sole Custody With Prolonged Visiting Rights (73–146 Nights)

When the visiting parent has the child between 20% and 40% of the year, they receive a graduated reduction. The formula calculates the compensation amount as:

(Parenting Time % - 20%) x Basic Parental Contribution

So if a parent has the child for 100 nights (27.4% of the year) and the basic contribution is CA$14,000:

(27.4% - 20%) x CA$14,000 = 7.4% x CA$14,000 = CA$1,036

This CA$1,036 is deducted in calculating the support obligation, recognizing the direct costs the visiting parent bears during those extra nights above the standard 20% threshold.

Shared Custody (146–219 Nights Each)

Both parents' proportional contributions are calculated, and the obligations offset each other. The parent with the higher obligation pays the net difference to the other. This formula recognizes that both parents are incurring substantial direct costs during their parenting time.

The shared-custody formula typically results in a significantly lower net payment compared to the sole-custody calculation at similar income levels.

Special and Extraordinary Expenses

On top of basic child support, parents must share certain additional costs proportionally based on their disposable incomes:

Childcare costs — daycare, after-school programs, or summer camp required for a parent to work or pursue training.

Post-secondary education expenses — tuition, books, and living costs for a child in college or university.

Extraordinary expenses — orthodontics, speech therapy, private school tuition, or specialized medical treatments not covered by provincial health insurance.

Quebec applies a "5% threshold rule" for extracurricular activities. If the annual cost of a specific extracurricular exceeds 5% of the basic parental contribution, it's reclassified as a special expense and split proportionally between parents. Standard extracurriculars below this threshold are considered included in the basic contribution.

The SARPA Option for Recalculation

If a parent's income changes significantly after the initial support order, either parent can apply to the Service administratif de rajustement des pensions alimentaires pour enfants (SARPA) for an administrative recalculation without going back to court. The fee is CA$57.25 per application (free for legal aid recipients).

SARPA can adjust support when both parents live in Quebec, the child is under 18, and the combined disposable income doesn't exceed CA$200,000. It handles straightforward income-change adjustments but can't address cases involving judicial discretion or hardship claims — those still require a court application.

Connecting Your Schedule to Your Support Calculation

Before proposing or agreeing to any custody schedule, run the numbers through the official Quebec Child Support Payments Calculation Tool available on the Ministry of Justice website. Small differences in the night count — 144 versus 148 — can change which formula section applies.

The Quebec Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes a child support worksheet that walks you through the disposable-income calculation and helps you map your proposed schedule to the correct custody classification before you enter mediation.

See more Quebec guides →