The Divorce Act Changes Explained

Miscellaneous

Legal effect of order and decisions throughout Canada
(Section 20(2), Divorce Act)

New section

Subsection 20(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

Legal effect of orders and decisions throughout Canada

(2) An order made under this Act in respect of support, parenting time, decision-making responsibility or contact and a provincial child support service decision that calculates or recalculates the amount of child support under section 25.01 or 25.1 have legal effect throughout Canada.
Old section

Legal effect throughout Canada

(2) Subject to subsection 18(2), an order made under any of sections 15.1 to 17 or subsection 19(7), (9) or (9.1) has legal effect throughout Canada.

What is the change

The amendment enumerates the orders and decisions with legal effect throughout Canada, rather than listing the specific sections of the Act.

Reason for the change

The amendment uses simpler wording to ensure that orders and decisions made under the Act have legal effect throughout Canada.

When

March 1, 2021.