B.C.'s new Family Law Act will help ensure children benefit from spending time with their parents by creating a range of remedies and tools for non-compliance that will make sure parents receive - and follow through on - time with their children.

This bulletin is part of an information series on B.C.'s new Family Law Act, which came into effect on March 18. The new family law reflects the current needs and changing nature of B.C. families. It protects the best interests of the child when families experience separation and divorce and can help couples resolve their family disputes without having to go to court.

Separation and divorce are major events in the lives of children. Under the new Family Law Act, generally, both parents will be guardians of their child after separation, and each will have parenting time and parental responsibilities.

The new act provides flexibility for parents to tailor their parenting arrangements. The only requirement when making decisions about parenting arrangements is that the arrangements must be in the best interests of the child.

The new act also refines terminology by eliminating the terms "custody" and "access", which suggest there are winners and losers when it comes to parenting. These words have been replaced in the new Family Law Act with less adversarial terms such as "guardianship", "parental responsibilities" and "parenting time". This can promote a more collaborative approach to parenting.

Learn more:

For more information on the Family Law Act and guardianship and parenting, visit: http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/family-justice/

Contact:

James Beresford
Communications
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6423
778 679-8646 (cell)