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Can I get spousal support?

Last updated on August 1, 2024

You may apply for spousal support if:

  • You were married
  • You lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years, or
  • You lived in a marriage-like relationship for less than two years, but you have a child together (This recognizes that having a child together also creates interdependence between the couple that may result in a need for spousal support.)

Spousal support may be paid in a lump sum or monthly amounts.

It can be paid over a short period of time, for example, while a spouse completes a training program. Or, it can be paid for a longer period of time, for example, where there has been a long relationship where one spouse stayed home and raised the children.

Alternatively, spouses may agree that neither will pay spousal support.

For more information, please see Spousal support on Legal Aid BC's Family Law in BC website.

Check out these resources from Legal Aid BC:

Visit a Justice Access Centre:

Talk with a family justice counsellor at a Family Justice Centre.

British Columbia has a central authority that assists left-behind parents whose children have been abducted across international borders. For more information, including contact information, please see International Child Abduction.