What to Include in a Parenting Plan Saskatchewan
Why Detail Matters in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan courts have been clear: vague parenting plans fail. An arrangement that says "reasonable parenting time as agreed" gives both parents room to interpret the agreement differently — and that ambiguity becomes the fuel for post-separation conflict. Under The Children's Law Act, 2020, judges expect parenting plans detailed enough to function without ongoing negotiation between parents who may not be communicating well.
The goal is a plan specific enough that each parent can look at any given Tuesday and know exactly where the child will be, who's making the decisions, and what happens if something goes wrong.
Decision-Making Responsibility
This is the section that replaced "legal custody" under the 2021 legislative changes. You need to specify how major decisions will be made in key categories, including:
- Education: School enrollment, grade placement, tutoring, special education assessments
- Health: Non-emergency medical and dental treatment, therapy, vaccinations, vision care
- Cultural, religious, or spiritual upbringing: Language, cultural ceremonies, church, temple, spiritual practices, and religious education
- Significant extracurricular activities: Competitive sports, intensive music or arts programs, activities requiring substantial time or financial commitment
For each category, state whether decision-making is joint (both parents must agree) or sole (one parent decides after consulting the other). Some plans split by category — joint decision-making for education but sole for extracurriculars, for example — when the parents can cooperate on some topics but not others.
Include an impasse-resolution mechanism: what happens when joint decision-makers disagree? Options include consulting a parenting coordinator, returning to mediation, or designating one parent as the tiebreaker for specific categories.
The Parenting-Time Schedule
The core of the plan. Every day of the year needs to be accounted for through the combination of your regular rotation and holiday provisions.
Regular rotation: Specify the exact pattern — 2-2-3, alternating weeks, 4-3, or a primary-residence arrangement with alternating weekends. State the transition day and time (e.g., "Friday at 5:00 p.m." not "Friday evening") and whether the transition happens at school pickup, at a parent's home, or at a neutral location.
Holiday schedule: Override provisions for every statutory holiday, school break, and summer vacation period. State which holidays alternate by year and which are fixed.
Special occasions: Each child's birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and culturally significant dates. For Indigenous families in Saskatchewan, this includes community gatherings, pow-wows, and cultural ceremonies — the best-interests standard explicitly considers cultural and linguistic continuity.
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Transition Protocols
Transitions are where most parenting-time conflicts occur. A good plan addresses:
- Location: Where exchanges happen. Options include a parent's home (usually the receiving parent's), school (child is dropped off by one parent and picked up by the other), or a neutral public location
- Who handles transportation: Which parent drives, or whether they split the drive
- Late-arrival protocol: How long the receiving parent waits before the visit is considered forfeited, and what notification is required if someone is running late. A plan can specify a grace period, such as 15 to 30 minutes
- Third-party pickups: Whether a new partner, grandparent, or other adult can handle a pickup or drop-off, and whether advance notice is required
Communication Rules
Two types of communication need structure: parent-to-parent and parent-to-child.
Between parents: Specify the primary communication channel (email, text, a co-parenting app like OurFamilyWizard). Many high-conflict plans restrict communication to written channels only — no phone calls except in emergencies involving the child's immediate safety. Written communication creates a record, reduces emotional escalation, and gives each parent time to respond thoughtfully.
Set a response-time expectation: non-urgent messages answered within 24–48 hours, urgent messages within 2 hours.
Between parent and child: Include terms for each parent's communication with the child during the other parent's time. Specify when calls or video chats can happen (e.g., "between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m.") and the expectation that the parent caring for the child will facilitate access to a phone or device. For teenagers, this provision becomes less necessary since they communicate independently.
Dispute Resolution Clause
If you can't resolve a disagreement directly, a recognized FDR process may be available before it becomes a court matter. Your plan should specify the process:
- Direct negotiation — parents attempt to resolve the issue between themselves within a set timeframe (e.g., 7 days)
- Mediation — if direct negotiation fails, the parents engage a registered mediator. Specify how the mediator will be chosen (mutual agreement, or a named default mediator) and how costs are split
- Parenting coordination — where an existing agreement or order provides for it, a parenting coordinator can assist with implementation and, for prescribed matters, make binding determinations
- Court application — the last resort, for fundamental disagreements about decision-making or schedule changes that mediation can't resolve
Information Sharing
Unless a court orders otherwise, a parent granted parenting time has the same right to request information about the child's health, education, and welfare as the other parent. Include provisions requiring:
- Both parents listed as emergency contacts at school, daycare, and medical offices
- Both parents receiving report cards, school notices, and medical records directly
- Prompt notification of any health emergency, significant injury, or hospitalization
- Sharing of the child's health card and any other identification documents
Additional Clauses Worth Considering
- Right of first refusal: If the custodial parent can't be with the child during their parenting time (e.g., work travel, social event), the other parent gets first option before a babysitter or family member is called. Specify the minimum absence that triggers this right (common: 4+ hours)
- Relocation notice: Restate the 60-day notice requirement from The Children's Law Act, 2020 so both parents are aware of the obligation
- New partner introductions: A waiting period (typically 6 months of a committed relationship) before introducing a new romantic partner to the child during parenting time
- No-disparagement clause: Neither parent will speak negatively about the other parent in the child's presence or within the child's hearing
- Social media: Neither parent will post photos of the child on social media without the other's consent, or a blanket agreement about what platforms are acceptable
The Saskatchewan Child Custody and Parenting Plan Guide provides structured worksheets for each of these sections, with pre-written clause templates you can adapt for your specific family circumstances.
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