Parenting Plan in BC: What to Include and How to Build One That Works

A parenting plan is the operational blueprint for raising your child after separation. In British Columbia, it's not a legal form you fill out — it's a comprehensive agreement between parents that covers everything from Tuesday night pickups to who decides about braces. The more specific your plan, the fewer arguments you'll have later.

Here's what every BC parenting plan should cover, section by section.

Residential Schedule

The core of the plan. Specify which days and overnights the child spends with each parent during the regular school year, including exact transition times and locations. Common schedules in BC include alternating weeks (7-on/7-off), the 5-2-2-5 rotation, and the 3-4-4-3 rotation — each produces a 50/50 split but with different rhythms.

Be specific about transitions: "Friday at 5:00 PM, picked up from school by Parent B" prevents the 4:30 vs 6:00 argument.

Holiday and Vacation Schedule

Build a rotation for every holiday the child recognizes: Christmas/Hanukkah/other winter holidays, spring break, summer vacation, Thanksgiving, Easter, Family Day, BC Day, and each parent's birthday and the child's birthday.

Most BC plans alternate major holidays yearly (Parent A gets Christmas Eve in even years, Parent B in odd years) and split summer vacation into blocks (each parent gets 2-3 consecutive weeks, with advance notice requirements).

Don't forget professional development days and school closures — these odd days off cause more scheduling fights than Christmas.

Decision-Making (Parental Responsibilities)

Under the FLA, parental responsibilities can be shared equally or divided by category. Your plan should specify who has authority over:

• Education — school enrollment, tutoring, special education
• Healthcare — medical treatment, dental, mental health, vaccinations
• Religious upbringing — if applicable
• Extracurricular activities — enrollment, scheduling, costs
• Travel — domestic and international

For shared decision-making, include a process for when parents disagree. Most plans require good-faith discussion first, then mediation, before either parent can file a court application.

Right of First Refusal

A right of first refusal clause says that if the parent with scheduled parenting time can't care for the child for a certain period (typically 4+ hours), they must offer that time to the other parent before using a babysitter or other caregiver.

This clause prevents situations where a parent leaves the child with a new partner or grandparent during "their" time while the other parent was available and willing. Specify the minimum absence duration that triggers the right, how the offer must be made (text, phone call), and how quickly the other parent must respond.

Communication Protocols

Define how parents communicate about the child — and how the child communicates with each parent during the other's parenting time. Common provisions include:

• Parent-to-parent: All non-emergency communication via email or a co-parenting app (OurFamilyWizard, TalkingParents). This creates a written record and reduces emotional escalation.
• Child-to-parent: The child has the right to unmonitored phone or video calls with the other parent at reasonable times during parenting time.
• Information sharing: Both parents receive direct access to school portals, medical records, and report cards. Neither parent acts as gatekeeper.

Transportation and Exchanges

Specify who drives for transitions, where exchanges happen (school is ideal — it prevents direct parent contact), and who covers transportation costs if parents live far apart. If one parent moves further away, the plan should address whether the moving parent bears additional travel costs.

Dispute Resolution

Include a mandatory step before court: mediation with a mediator, consultation with a parenting coordinator, or another alternative dispute resolution process. BC's Family Law Act explicitly encourages out-of-court resolution, and judges look favourably on parents who've attempted it.

Making It Enforceable

A parenting plan becomes legally binding when it's incorporated into a filed court order or signed separation agreement. On its own, a plan is a strong reference document — but for enforcement purposes, it needs to be formalized through one of those channels.

The British Columbia Custody & Parenting Plan Guide includes fillable worksheets for every section above — schedule building, holiday rotation, expense sharing, communication protocols, and dispute resolution — designed specifically for BC's Family Law Act framework.

See more British Columbia guides →