Family Law Information Centre Saskatchewan

What the Family Law Information Centre Does

Saskatchewan's Family Law Information Centre (FLIC) operates within the Ministry of Justice and provides procedural information for self-represented parents entering the family law system. It can be reached by phone, email, and available in-person services.

FLIC staff don't give legal advice — they can't tell you what custody arrangement to ask for or whether your ex's demands are reasonable. What they do provide is procedural guidance: which forms you need, which order to file them in, where to find a process server, and how the court registry works. They distribute the free Self-Help Divorce Kits (both the Sole Petitioner Kit and the Co-Petitioner Kit) and explain the filing fees, which run CA$200 for a Joint Petition or CA$300 for a contested Petition for Divorce.

The Dispute Resolution Office

The Dispute Resolution Office (DRO) is a separate but related government service. Since July 1, 2022, Saskatchewan has required all parties in family law disputes to complete a recognized family dispute resolution (FDR) process before they can get a contested court hearing. This requirement is in Section 7-4 of The King's Bench Act.

The DRO connects parents with subsidized or free mediation services through the provincial Family Mediation Program. Private mediation in Saskatchewan runs CA$150–$500 per hour, but the government's sliding-scale program offers reduced rates based on income, and some sessions are free for low-income families.

To proceed with any contested application for parenting time or decision-making responsibility, you need a Certificate of Participation from a registered FDR provider. The DRO maintains the official Saskatchewan Service Provider Registry of recognized FDR providers. Recognized mediators must have completed at least 80 hours of mediation training and 14 hours of family violence training.

What FLIC Cannot Help You With

FLIC points you toward the system's front door, but it doesn't walk you through the building. Specifically:

• Parenting plan drafting: FLIC distributes blank forms but doesn't help you write the parenting-time schedule or decision-making allocation that those forms require
• Financial statement preparation: Form 15-47 demands detailed income, expense, and asset disclosure going back three years — FLIC can hand you the form but can't help you complete it
• Strategy: FLIC staff won't advise whether to file a Joint Petition versus a sole Petition, or whether your parenting proposal is likely to succeed
• Court representation: FLIC is not a substitute for a lawyer — they facilitate access to forms and processes

For parents navigating parenting time and decision-making questions without a lawyer, PLEA Saskatchewan (familylaw.plea.org) publishes the best free plain-language legal education articles on Saskatchewan family law, covering topics from the best-interests-of-the-child standard to relocation rules.

The Parenting After Separation Course

One of FLIC's key referrals is to the mandatory Parenting After Separation (PAS) course. Under Family Practice Directive #2, anyone filing a family law proceeding involving children must complete PAS before the court will schedule a contested hearing.

The course is completely free. You can take it online or in person, and it covers child development during separation, communication strategies, and how the legal process works. Upon completion, you receive a Certificate of Attendance that's valid for two years and must be filed with the court.

If more than two years have passed since your PAS certificate and you're taking a new step in your family proceeding, you'll need to retake the course or apply for an exemption.

Putting It All Together

FLIC and the DRO are essential first stops — they ensure you have the right forms and complete the mandatory dispute resolution step. But for the actual substance of your parenting arrangement, you'll need more than procedural direction.

The Saskatchewan Child Custody and Parenting Plan Guide picks up where FLIC's forms leave off, walking you through parenting-time schedules, decision-making allocation, holiday divisions, and the financial disclosure worksheets that the court requires. Having that structure in hand before you attend mediation or a Judicial Case Conference means you spend less time (and less money) figuring out the basics.

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