Federal and provincial child support calculators differ based on the legal context of separation or divorce.
The key difference lies in which legal framework applies to your situation. The Federal Child Support Calculator is used when parents are going through a divorce under the Divorce Act of Canada. The Provincial Calculator applies to cases under Ontario’s Family Law Act, specifically for:
- Parents who were never married
- Married couples who are separating but not divorcing
- Common-law partners who are separating
While both calculators use the same Child Support Guidelines to determine payment amounts, they operate under different jurisdictions and legal frameworks. The actual support amounts calculated are typically identical, as both follow the same standardized calculation tables established by the Department of Justice Canada.