Yukon Child Support Laws: Federal Tables & MEP Guide

Yukon follows the federal Child Support Guidelines for all divorce proceedings and mirrors those guidelines for non-divorce cases, so the same tables govern child support across the territory. The amount a paying parent owes depends on their annual gross income, the number of children, and the territory of residence. For an overview of how Canada's two-track child support system works, visit the Canada child support laws hub.

Yukon adopted child support guidelines effective April 1, 2000, with wording differences from the federal text but using the same underlying tables. Because Yukon is not a designated province under the federal Divorce Act, the Federal Child Support Guidelines (SOR/97-175) apply directly to all divorce proceedings where at least one parent lives in Yukon. For parents who were never married, or for married parents separating without filing for divorce, the territorial guidelines apply, but they produce identical table amounts because they draw from the same federal schedule.

Which Guidelines Apply in Yukon

Canada operates a two-track system. The Federal Child Support Guidelines are regulations made under the Divorce Act (RSC 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.)) and govern all divorce or corollary relief proceedings unless both parents live in a designated province. Only three jurisdictions are currently designated: Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Quebec.

Yukon is not designated. This means:

• Divorce proceedings: The Federal Child Support Guidelines apply whenever at least one parent lives in Yukon.
• Non-divorce proceedings (unmarried parents, separation without divorce): Yukon's own territorial guidelines apply. Those guidelines mirror the federal rules and use the same federal tables, so the practical result is identical.
• Parents in different jurisdictions: If the paying parent lives in Yukon but the receiving parent lives elsewhere, the Yukon table is used because table amounts are set by the paying parent's province or territory of residence.

The practical takeaway for most Yukon families is straightforward: the federal table for Yukon determines the basic monthly amount, regardless of which track applies to their situation.

How the Federal Tables Work

The federal child support tables set a monthly base amount based on three factors: the paying parent's territory of residence (Yukon, in this case), the paying parent's annual gross income, and the number of children for whom support is sought.

Because provincial and territorial income tax rates differ across Canada, separate tables exist for each of the 13 jurisdictions. All jurisdictions except Quebec use these federal tables, so the Yukon table reflects Yukon-specific tax rules. The tables were updated on October 1, 2025 to reflect 2023 Canada Revenue Agency tax data, replacing the previous 2017 tables.

Justice Canada provides a free 2025 Child Support Table Look-up tool at justice.gc.ca where you can enter an income amount and number of children to find the applicable Yukon monthly amount.

Sample monthly base amounts under the Yukon table (2025):

These figures are illustrative estimates. Use the official Justice Canada look-up tool for the precise Yukon table amount in your circumstances. Base amounts do not include section 7 special or extraordinary expenses.

How Annual Income Is Calculated

Income for child support purposes starts with Total income at line 15000 of the paying parent's most recent CRA T1 General tax return or Notice of Assessment (line 150 for tax years 2018 and earlier). This gross figure is then adjusted in accordance with Schedule III of the Federal Child Support Guidelines. The table amounts already account for taxes, so income is used on a pre-tax basis.

Under section 16 of SOR/97-175, each parent must provide:

• Copies of their three most recent tax returns and notices of assessment or reassessment
• Any other document evidencing their current income (recent pay stubs, employment contract, business financial statements)

If a parent's income fluctuates significantly from year to year, the court may average the income over the past three years rather than using the most recent year alone.

When a Court May Impute Income

Under section 19 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, a court can attribute income to a parent that exceeds what they actually report if their stated income does not accurately reflect their capacity to earn. Common grounds for imputing income include:

• Intentional under-employment or unemployment not explained by child care requirements, health, or education
• Income primarily from dividends, capital gains, or other sources taxed at lower rates
• Receipt of trust income
• Residence in a jurisdiction with lower tax rates
• Failure to comply with income disclosure requirements

Imputed income is then used to calculate the applicable table amount. A court will not impute income where a parent is genuinely unable to work due to illness, disability, or the demands of caring for a young child.

Special or Extraordinary Expenses (Section 7)

The basic table amount is only the starting point. Section 7 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines provides for additional amounts to cover special or extraordinary expenses, which are shared between parents in proportion to their respective incomes after deducting any contribution the child can make.

The six recognised categories of section 7 expenses are:

1. Child care costs arising from the requesting parent's employment, illness, disability, or education or training programme
2. Medical and dental insurance premiums for the child's portion of a family plan
3. Uninsured health expenses exceeding $100 per year, including orthodontics, physiotherapy, speech therapy, prescription medications, hearing aids, and corrective lenses
4. Extraordinary primary or secondary school expenses where the cost exceeds what the requesting parent can reasonably cover given their income and the support they receive, or the court otherwise finds the expense extraordinary
5. Post-secondary education expenses, including tuition, books, and reasonable living costs
6. Extraordinary extracurricular activity expenses that meet the same "extraordinary" threshold

When calculating each parent's share, the court must account for any subsidies, tax credits, or benefits available to either parent for the expense, but must exclude the Canada Child Benefit and equivalent provincial or territorial benefits from the calculation.

Shared and Split Parenting Arrangements

Shared Parenting Time (Section 9)

Where each parent exercises not less than 40% of parenting time with a child over the course of a year, the court cannot simply apply the Yukon table against the paying parent's income. Under section 9 of SOR/97-175, the court must consider:

• The table amount for each parent based on their respective incomes (set-off as the starting point)
• The increased costs of maintaining two separate households for the child
• The conditions, means, needs, and other circumstances of each parent and child

The set-off of the two table amounts is the starting point, not a ceiling. Where the child's actual costs make the set-off amount insufficient, the court may award a higher amount. Parents sharing significant parenting time are encouraged to document all child-related expenses carefully, as the shared arrangement significantly complicates the support calculation.

Split Custody (Section 8)

Split custody arises when one or more children live primarily with each parent (for example, two children from a relationship where one child lives primarily with the mother and the other primarily with the father). Under section 8 of SOR/97-175, the child support amount is the difference between the amount each parent would owe if seeking an order against the other. This statutory set-off method applies in all split-custody cases.

How Long Child Support Lasts in Yukon

Age of Majority

The age of majority in Yukon is 19 years old. Child support under the Divorce Act ordinarily continues until a child reaches the age of majority and has not withdrawn from the parents' care.

Under section 2(1) of the Divorce Act, a "child of the marriage" includes not only a child under the age of majority but also a child who is at or over the age of majority but unable, by reason of illness, disability, or other cause, to withdraw from the parents' charge or to obtain the necessaries of life.

Support Past Age 19

Courts across Canada have consistently held that full-time, reasonable post-secondary education constitutes an "other cause" that can extend entitlement to support beyond the age of majority. In Yukon, this means a 19 or 20-year-old enrolled full-time at a university or college in Whitehorse or elsewhere may still be entitled to support.

Relevant factors courts consider when deciding whether to extend support include:

• Whether the child is enrolled in a full-time programme of study
• The child's academic performance and whether the programme is likely to lead to sustainable employment
• The child's ability to contribute through part-time work or student loans
• Each parent's ability to pay given their income and other obligations
• Whether the child lived with either parent before or during post-secondary study

Support does not continue indefinitely. Once a child completes a degree programme, finds employment, or otherwise becomes self-supporting, entitlement ordinarily ends.

Early Termination

Child support may end before age 19 if a child:

• Marries or enters a domestic partnership
• Enlists in the Canadian Armed Forces as a regular force member
• Withdraws from the parents' charge and becomes financially independent
• Dies

A paying parent should not simply stop paying when a child turns 19. The existing court order remains in force until it is formally varied or terminated. The paying parent must apply to the Supreme Court of Yukon for a variation order.

Modifying an Existing Child Support Order

A child support order can be varied when there has been a change in circumstances since the order was made. Under the Divorce Act and the Federal Child Support Guidelines, changes that typically warrant variation include:

• A significant increase or decrease in either parent's income
• Job loss or involuntary unemployment
• A change in the child's needs, such as a new medical condition or educational requirement
• A change in parenting time arrangements that crosses the 40% shared-parenting threshold
• A change in the number of children entitled to support

Administrative Recalculation Without Court

Yukon offers the Child Support Administrative Recalculation Service, operated through the Family Law Information Centre at the Andrew A. Philipsen Law Centre in Whitehorse. This service recalculates existing court-ordered child support amounts based on updated income information without requiring either party to return to court.

Contact:

• Family Law Information Centre, Department of Justice, Government of Yukon
• 1st Floor, Andrew A. Philipsen Law Centre, 2134 Second Ave., Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5H6
• Phone: 867-667-3066
• Toll-free (Yukon only): 1-800-661-0408, ext. 3066

The 2025 update to the federal tables does not automatically change existing orders made before October 1, 2025. Either parent must apply for a variation (through the administrative service or through court) to have the updated table amounts reflected in their order. For periods from November 22, 2017 to September 30, 2025, the 2017 tables apply when calculating retroactive support.

Undue Hardship (Section 10)

Under section 10 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, either parent may apply for a different support amount on grounds of undue hardship. Recognised hardship grounds include:

• Unusually high debts incurred to support the family before separation
• Unusually high costs of exercising parenting time (for example, travel between Whitehorse and a remote community)
• A legal obligation to support another person, such as a child from a prior relationship
• A child in a shared parenting arrangement who has special needs requiring exceptional costs

Even where undue hardship is established, the court will not reduce the support amount if the applicant's household would still have a higher standard of living than the other household after the adjustment.

Enforcement: Yukon Maintenance Enforcement Program

The Yukon Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) is the primary enforcement body for child and spousal support orders in the territory. The MEP collects payments from paying parents, disburses them to receiving parents, and enforces orders using a range of tools.

Contact:

• Phone: 867-667-5437
• Toll-free (within Yukon): 1-877-617-5347
• Fax: 867-393-6989
• Mailing address: P.O. Box 2703 (J-3M), Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
• Website: yukonmep.ca

The MEP has reciprocal enforcement arrangements with all other Canadian provinces and territories, making it possible to enforce Yukon orders against a paying parent who has moved out of the territory, and to collect on orders from other jurisdictions where the paying parent now lives in Yukon.

Federal Enforcement Tools (FOAEA)

The territorial MEP is supplemented by the federal Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act (FOAEA, RSC 1985, c. 4 (2nd Supp.)), with key amendments in force as of November 15, 2023. FOAEA gives the federal government three additional enforcement tools:

1. Tracing service: Federal databases can be accessed to locate a defaulting paying parent's current address and employer.
2. Federal payment interception: Under the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act (GAPDA), federal payments owed to the paying parent (including income tax refunds, Employment Insurance benefits, Old Age Security, and other federal programme payments) can be intercepted and redirected to the receiving parent.
3. Federal licence denial: Where a paying parent is more than three months in arrears or owes more than $3,000, passports and federal licences can be denied or revoked.

Territorial MEP tools available in Yukon include wage garnishment, bank account garnishment, driver's licence suspension, professional licence suspension, credit bureau reporting, property liens, and contempt of court proceedings.

Establishing a Child Support Order in Yukon

A child support order in Yukon is made by the Supreme Court of Yukon. The court will apply the Federal Child Support Guidelines (for divorce cases) or the Yukon territorial guidelines (for non-divorce cases) to determine the appropriate amount.

Parents who have reached their own agreement on child support may file a consent order or a separation agreement. However, the court retains jurisdiction to ensure that agreements comply with the applicable guidelines and serve the best interests of the child. A private agreement that is not filed with the court cannot be enforced by the MEP unless it is incorporated into or replaced by a court order.

The Family Law Information Centre at the Andrew A. Philipsen Law Centre provides public legal information and refers residents to duty counsel and legal aid where available. Yukon Legal Services Society provides legal aid for eligible clients in family law matters.

More Canada Child Support Pages

• Canada Child Support Laws Hub
• Ontario Child Support Laws
• British Columbia Child Support Laws
• Alberta Child Support Laws
• Northwest Territories Child Support Laws
• Nunavut Child Support Laws