Ontario Canadian Parenting Time Calculator

Under Section 9 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, if each parent has the child at least 40% of the time over a year, the set-off child support formula applies instead of standard table amounts. The 40% threshold equals 146 days or 3,504 hours annually. When this threshold is met, both parents' table amounts are calculated based on their incomes, and the higher earner pays the difference to the lower earner.

Ontario courts use either days or hours to calculate parenting time percentages, with no universal method required by law. The weight of Ontario authority favors hourly calculations, though some judges count overnights using a functional approach. Courts average the full 12-month period, including variations between school year and summer schedules. School hours count for the parent who has the child both before and after school on a given day.

An alternating weeks schedule, where the child lives with one parent for seven days then the other parent for seven days, creates a 50/50 parenting time split. This equals approximately 182.5 days per parent annually, well above the 146-day (40%) threshold for shared parenting under the Federal Child Support Guidelines. This schedule is particularly popular for children aged 10 and older who can manage longer periods away from each home.

School time in Ontario generally counts for the parent responsible for the child during school hours. However, courts have held that school hours should not count toward a parent's percentage unless that parent has the child both before and after school on that particular day. If Parent A drops off and picks up from school, those hours count toward Parent A's parenting time, not the other parent's.

When parenting time falls near the 40% threshold (146 days or 3,504 hours), Ontario courts conduct detailed calculations that can determine thousands of dollars in annual child support. Courts may count hours rather than days to achieve greater precision. The parent seeking shared parenting status bears the burden of proving they meet the 40% threshold, and partial days or short midweek visits may not count as full days.

The set-off formula under Section 9 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines calculates each parent's notional table amount based on their income, then sets off the lower amount against the higher. However, the Supreme Court of Canada in Contino v. Leonelli-Contino (2005 SCC 63) confirmed this is only a starting point—courts must also consider increased costs of shared parenting and each household's standard of living before determining the final support amount.

Parenting time schedules in Ontario can be modified when there is a material change in circumstances affecting the child's best interests. Under the Divorce Act, courts consider factors including the child's needs, each parent's ability to care for the child, and the child's relationship with each parent. Applications to vary parenting orders are filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Court, with court forms available at ontariocourtforms.on.ca.

The 5-2-2-5 schedule (also written as 2-2-5-5) is a two-week rotating schedule where each parent has the child for two days, then the other parent for two days, followed by five days with each parent. This creates an approximately 50/50 split (50.3% to 49.7%) over the rotation. The schedule provides each parent with consistent weekdays and alternating weekends, making it predictable for school-age children and work schedules.