Family Law Act updated: child definition clarified and family arbitration award enforcement rules now in force

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

Three previously pending amendments to Ontario's Family Law Act have now taken effect. The definition of "child" has been revised to read "a person in respect of whom a parent has demonstrated a settled intention" — a minor grammatical correction that does not change the practical scope of who qualifies as a child under the Act. The rule for enforcing family arbitration awards has been amended to make enforcement subject to a new section (59.9), which creates a separate filing process specifically for arbitration awards containing support or maintenance provisions. Under that new section, a party can file such an award directly with the court clerk — along with the arbitration agreement and supporting documents — rather than making a full court application, though the right to apply to set aside an award is preserved. Anyone relying on a family arbitration award for support should be aware of this new filing route and its documentation requirements.

Who this affects: parties to family arbitration agreements · recipients of support or maintenance under arbitration awards · family law practitioners · parents seeking recognition of parental relationships