Information for Lawyers

The Family Responsibility Office (FRO) is mandated under the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act, 1996 to enforce support orders, support deduction orders, domestic contracts and paternity agreements filed with it, and to pay the support monies collected to support recipients.

The FRO has exclusive jurisdiction to enforce support orders filed with it and may commence and conduct enforcement proceedings for this purpose. The FRO deals only with enforcement and is not involved in payor motions to change, or other entitlement issues. You only need to serve the FRO when enforcement relief is being requested or in response to an enforcement proceeding commenced by the FRO.

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How do I serve the FRO?

Fax to:
FRO Legal Department
416 240-2402

Mail to:
Legal Services, FRO
P.O. Box 220
1201 Wilson Avenue
Downsview ON
M3M 3A3

Deliver to:
Legal Services, FRO
1201 Wilson Avenue
5th floor
Downsview ON
M3M 1J8

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Where can I find forms used by the FRO including the Request for Director's Statement of Arrears?

All forms that the FRO uses, including the Director's Statement of Arrears form, are available on the ministry website. Please complete the payment and request options on the Director's Statement of Arrears form before faxing it to the number listed on the form.

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How do I find out if the support order is assigned to a social service agency?

To find out if a support order is assigned to a social service agency, complete a Confirmation of Assignment form number 006-3006 available at www.forms.ssb.gov.on.ca.

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What if one person lives outside Ontario?

For information on individuals who live outside of Ontario you may contact the Interjurisdictional Support Orders Unit (ISO Unit) at 416-240-2410 or toll-free at 1-800-463-3533. The ISO fax number is 416-240-2405. All ISO forms are availbale on the FRO website.

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What should I do when drafting support orders?

Do:

• Quantify the dollar amount, frequency and commencement date of support payable
• Ensure there is an obligation to "pay" rather than "share" special expenses and quantify them
• Include termination support dates where appropriate and, if preparing a global child support order, specify the dollar amount that will be payable for the remaining children if one child's support payments are to be terminated at a future date.
• When changing a support order, fix the amount of any arrears and include an arrears payment schedule
• If changing a support order, fix the amount of any arrears and include an arrears payment schedule
• When changing a support order or domestic contract, include any terms of the prior order affecting the support, such as termination dates, to continue those terms in the new order
• If costs are awarded, ensure that the portion "related to support and maintenance" is specified in the order so that the FRO can enforce those costs as "support"
• If a social service agency is owed a portion of the arrears, specify the amount as well as any amount owed to the support recipient.

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What should I not do when drafting support orders?

Do not:

• Refer to support being determined or changed annually "in accordance with the Child Support Guidelines"
• Include any terms about withdrawal from the FRO by the parties, in the body of the order
• Include support provisions which are conditional on certain prerequisites which cannot be determined on the face of the order
• Include foreign currency amounts in Canadian order
• Include cost-of-living provisions for child support

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What the payor needs to remember when the Director of the FRO is no longer enforcing a support order.

When the FRO is no longer enforcing a support order, there may still be enforcement, administrative and court costs owed by the payor to the Director. There may also be amounts owed to reimburse the FRO for NSF expenditures incurred by the Director.

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Where can I get more information?

TTY: 1-866-545-0083

24-Hour Automated Information Line: 416-326-1818 or toll-free at 1-800-267-7263
for general information about the FRO and recent transactions on your case.

Customer Service Unit: 416-326-1817 or toll-free at 1-800-267-4330
for general inquiries such as payment information, to update your address or to request forms. Call Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enforcement Call Centre: 416-326-1817 or toll-free at 1-800-267-4330
for specific enforcement information. Call Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.