Updated Federal Child Support Tables

Summary#

The government has replaced the Federal child support tables in the Federal Child Support Guidelines through the instrument Guidelines Amending the Federal Child Support Guidelines: SOR/2025-166 (registered August 28, 2025). The new tables and small clarifying notes take effect on October 1, 2025, and change how monthly child support is read from the tables (including a new self‑support threshold of $16,000).

What it does#

• Replaces the Federal child support tables (Schedule I) used to set basic monthly child support amounts for each province and territory.
• Sets the self‑support threshold (the income below which the Federal Tables show a basic child support amount of zero) at $16,000. The 2017 tables used a lower self‑support amount ($12,000).
• Updates the explanatory Note 3 that describes how to calculate an amount when a parent’s income falls between the $1,000 increments used in the tables. The Gazette gives a worked example using the new approach.
• Uses the existing table formula but with more recent federal and provincial/territorial tax parameters (for example, the federal basic personal amount that influenced the change to $16,000 is now $15,000).

Who's affected#

• Parents who pay or receive child support under divorce orders or agreements based on the Federal Tables. Those on lower incomes (below $16,000) will have a basic table amount of $0.
• Family courts, family law lawyers, legal aid and family justice services that use the tables to set, vary or explain child support amounts.
• Provincial and territorial governments and their support‑calculation or enforcement systems (all PTs except Quebec incorporate the Federal Tables into their child support rules).
• People with existing orders: the updated tables do not automatically change past court orders or written agreements. Parents who want the new table amount will need to pursue a change through the court or, where available, a recalculation service.

If you rely on the tables and are unsure how the new numbers affect your case, the source says courts and provincial services will be notified and public legal information will be updated.

Why it matters#

• The tables determine many routine child support payments. Changes mean some parents will pay more or less each month. For many lower incomes (roughly the $16,000–$45,000 range) the basic amounts fall compared with the 2017 tables. For higher incomes the differences are generally smaller (often around 1–2%).
• The change reflects updated tax rules, notably the rise in the federal basic personal amount to $15,000, which increases the income a parent is allowed to keep for basic living needs before table support is calculated.
• Practically, this affects household budgets for payors and recipients and could change eligibility for support‑related programs or enforcement steps. It also means families, lawyers and support services will need to update calculations and communications after the tables come into force on October 1, 2025.