Relocation Rights in Ontario
Our Family Lawyers Can Protect Your Parental Relocation Rights
According to the Divorce Act, relocation refers to a change in the place of residence of a child of the marriage or of a person who has parenting time or decision-making responsibility – or who has a pending application for a custody or parenting order- that is likely to have a significant impact on the child’s relationship with a person who has parenting time, decision-making responsibility or an application for a parenting order in respect of that child pending or a person who has contact with the child under a contact order.
Parental relocation rights can present numerous complexities best addressed by an experienced lawyer. If you are looking to relocate or are a parent with parenting time (under the Children’s Law Reform Act) or a person with non-primary parenting time or contact (Under the Divorce Act) and want to dispute a proposed move by the custodial parent or parent with primary parenting time, a family law lawyer at Feldstein Family Law Group P.C. can help you understand your rights and your options. Taking the appropriate measures will be essential if your relationship with your child is to be protected to the fullest extent.
- Our lawyers can address issues related to parental relocation in situations such as: Parental child abduction and getting your child back; Applying for parental relocation to another city, province, or country; How your current parenting time and decision-making responsibility agreement may affect relocation rights; Modifying a current parenting time or decision-making responsibility agreement to address relocation; and, When relocation requires court approval and when it does not.
Do not wait to act if you have questions about mobility rights. Call (905) 581-7222 for a free consultation and make the right choices for you and your child.
Determining Factors in Allowing Parental Relocation
Section 16.9(1) of the Divorce Act, provides that a person who has parenting time or decision-making responsibility in respect of a child of the marriage and who intends to undertake a relocation shall notify any other person who has parenting time, decision-making responsibility or contact under a court order with respect to that child at least 60 days before the expected date of the proposed relocation. If you have given this notice, you may relocate the child as of the date referred to in the notice if the relocation is authorized by the court or if the person with parenting time or decision-making responsibility who was given notice does not object to the relocation within 30 days after the notice was received.
According to section 16.92(1) of the Divorce Act, in deciding whether to authorize the relocation of a child of the marriage, the court shall determine what is in the best interests of the child by taking into account the existing parenting arrangement and the relationship between the child and any person who has parenting time or contact with the child, as well as a number of other factors. Case law has dictated that the best interests of the child must be observed, not the best interests of the custodial parent. However, the court will not consider whether if the child’s relocation was prohibited, the person who intends to relocate would relocate without the child. If a parenting order provides for the child to spend the vast majority of their time in the care of the party who intends to relocate, the party opposing the relocation has the burden of proving that the relocation would not be in the best interests of the child. Having an Ontario family lawyer to present your case in a clear and compelling manner can make a significant difference in asserting your relocation rights or your rights as a parent with parenting time, decision-making responsibility or contact pursuant to a court order.
For more information and for answers to your specific custody-related questions, call (905) 581-7222. We serve Oakville, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, and all of Ontario.
Meet Our Dedicated Team of Lawyers
Over a Century of Collective Experience
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Andrew Feldstein FounderRead BioAndrew Feldstein graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1992. Prior to focusing exclusively on family law, Andrew’s legal practice covered many different areas, including corporate commercial. One of Andrew’s fundamental objectives is to achieve those goals mutually and collaboratively, as set out by him and his client.
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Daphna Schwartz LawyerRead Bio
Daphna Schwartz joined Feldstein Family Law Group, P.C. in 2007 as an associate lawyer. She was previously practising family law in the Barrie area. Her practice includes all areas of divorce and family law, including custody and access, child support, spousal support, and property issues. Daphna is also qualified to practise Collaborative Family Law.
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Anna Troitschanski LawyerRead Bio
Anna Troitschanski joined the team at Feldstein Family Law Group, P.C. in 2012. Prior to that, she practised Family Law at a boutique Newmarket firm. Her experience covers all areas of divorce and family law, including custody and access, child support, spousal support, and division of property.
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Nick Slinko LawyerRead Bio
Nick Slinko attended York University from 2003 until 2007 where he majored in both Law & Society and Philosophy. Nick graduated in 2007 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree. He proceeded to earn a Juris Doctor in Law at the University of Western Ontario in 2011. Nick was Called to the Bar in June of 2012 after completing his Articling term with the Feldstein Family Law Group, P.C. He became an associate with the firm immediately thereafter.
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Veronica Yeung LawyerRead Bio
Veronica Yeung joined the Feldstein Family Law Group, P.C. as a summer student in 2014 and returned as an articling student in 2015. Following her call to the Ontario Bar in June 2016, Veronica was welcomed to the team as an associate lawyer.
Veronica attended York University for her undergraduate studies and graduated as a member of the Dean’s Honour Roll when she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Honours Criminology.
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Shana Gordon-Katz LawyerRead Bio
Shana joined Feldstein Family Law Group P.C. as an articling student in 2017. Following her call to the Ontario Bar in June 2018, Shana was welcomed back to the firm as an associate. While completing her articles, Shana assisted with legal matters covering all areas of family law.
Shana attended the University of Western Ontario for her undergraduate studies, where she graduated as the gold medalist of her program, Honors Specialization in Classical Studies.
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Rachel Zweig LawyerRead Bio
Rachel joined Feldstein Family Law Group P.C as a Summer Student in 2019 and returned as an Articling Student in 2020-2021. Following her Call to the Ontario Bar in April 2021, Rachel was welcomed back to the firm as an Associate.
Prior to completing her legal studies and obtaining her Juris Doctor at the University of Ottawa, Rachel obtained her Bachelor’s Degree at Ryerson University with a major in English Literature.
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Lauren Harvey Associate LawyerRead Bio
Lauren joined Feldstein Family Law Group as a Summer Student in 2020 and returned as an Articling Student in 2021-2022. Following her Call to the Ontario Bar in April 2022, Lauren was welcomed back to the firm as an Associate.
Prior to completing her legal studies and obtaining her Juris Doctor at the University of Western Ontario, Lauren obtained her Honour’s Bachelor of Arts Degree at Wilfrid Laurier University majoring in Criminology and minoring in Law and Society.
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Quinn Held Associate LawyerRead Bio
Quinn spent two years as a Summer Student and then completed her Articling term at a boutique Family Law firm in Orangeville, where she was exposed to various complex Family Law matters. Following her Call to the Bar of Ontario in June 2022, she became an Associate with the Feldstein Family Law Group.
Prior to obtaining her Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor, Quinn obtained her Honour’s Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Guelph majoring in Criminal Justice and Public Policy and minoring in International Development.
