The Cost of Divorce in Canada

The word divorce is a scary thought for many people, and the leading reason behind it is the cost of divorce in Canada. In fact, the longer it takes for the couple to arrive at a certain agreement, the higher the cost will become.

And if the divorce is taken to court, then it may cost a fortune along with the lawyer’s fees. But if both of you can sort out between you, then this huge cost can come down to a very reasonable figure.

Let me give a small statistics:

The cost of uncontested divorce is around 4,800 to 6,800 dollars per person, while for contested one, it starts from 24,000 dollars. Continue reading to know more crucial things, along with how much a divorce can cost in Canada.

How Much Cost of Divorce in Canada?

The cost of the divorce varies from state to state and the complexity of the case. Therefore, there is no accurate estimation of how much does a divorce cost. To know the exact cost of your divorce, contact an experienced lawyer. However, to help you around, we have made a table showing the average cost of divorce in Canada based on the court system.

Have a look to get an idea of how much it can cost a person:

	Western Canada	Eastern Canada	Ontario
Uncontested divorce average cost	5,200 to 6,400 dollars	4,800 to 6,000 dollars	5,400 to 6,800 dollars
Contested divorce average cost	24,300 to 43,300 dollars	25, 300 to 43,300 dollars	26,300 to 50,300 dollars
High-End Law Firm	56,800 to 75,800 dollars	57,800 to 78,800 dollars	58,800 to 82,200 dollars

Do You Need a Reason to Divorce?

Yes, you must show a reason at the hearing stating why you want to get divorced. Marriage is not doll’s play, and you cannot just end your marriage just because you want to.  So the grounds must be solid enough to convince the judge to grant the divorce. Learn about the most 7 reasons for divorce in Canada.

A no-fault divorce is only approved when the situation demands it, such as irrecoverable breakdown of the marriage, compatibility differences, separation, etc.

How Long Must a Couple Be Separated before Divorce in Canada?

Generally, there are no specific time limits for couples stating anything that they need to separate for these periods before the divorce. For example, divorce occurs due to adultery, cheating, domestic violence, sexual assault, etc.

But if the couple uses separation as the basis for getting a divorce, then there is a condition: they need to stay separate from each other for at least a whole 1 year. Otherwise, the court will not consider their case. in fact, the court will not grant even if a single day is left for the completion of 1 year.

In this 1 year, both of you get back together and stay together for more than 90 days/3 months; then, it will affect the separation period. Meaning, the process will start again, and you will need to wait for a year again to get divorced.

How Much Does It Cost to File for Divorce in Canada?

According to a recent statistic, the cost of divorce applications in Canada can cost around 632 dollars. Let me breakdown the cost, so you get a clear version:

• The 1st payment will be 212 dollars consisting of court fees equal to 202 dollars and 10 dollars for the Federal Department Of Justice.
• Extra 420 dollars is for other various court proceedings. This payment is to be done before the court review the divorce.

Average Wait Time for a Divorce in Canada

Overall, the average wait time for the court to grant a divorce with getting the clearance divorce certificate is 1 to 4 months. It varies depending on the nature of the case. However, let’s check out the processing time to get an idea of how much time each section takes:

• After submitting the divorce claim statement to the court, the waiting time is a minimum of 20 days for the court to take the case into account
• It takes about 6 weeks for the national divorce registry to give a clearance divorce certificate to the court
• After claiming a divorce, it usually takes around 31 days after the judge grants a divorce and signs the final paper. Once this paperwork is complete, you will be legally separated and thus can get a divorce certificate

So, after evaluating all things, we see that it takes 1 to 4 months after filing for divorce. Obviously, excluding all the negotiations and effort you put into getting a separation contract. This contract is a part of the divorce claim.

If you and your partner can mutually arrive at a decision, it will take much time to process the divorce. Similarly, if both of you are stubborn and cannot compromise on anything, it will take a much longer time to finalize the divorce.

How to Keep Divorce Costs to a Minimum?

Divorce is a costly process and may cost you even a fortune (lawyer fee and other court proceedings), depending on the complexity of your case. That’s why many people fear getting married in the first place. Fortunately, there is a way of bringing the costs to a pretty affordable range.

But that process is a bit difficult because you and your spouse need to agree mutually by sitting together. And in most cases, you will even need to compromise on certain things.

As a result, there is a high chance that you both you will get into a conflict, and things may get heated up. It is bound to happen as when that person is right beside you; there will be a mixture of several memory flashbacks.

For Example

before filing for a divorce, there was a time you used to love each other. And now you are in such a state where both of you are fighting and arguing with each other.

Apart from the lawyers, several divorce mediation experts help in coming to a round figure to keep things under control. But it doesn’t mean that any of you need to give up any legal rights of yours.

They basically help in sorting things so that things don’t warm up between you and your partner. Instead, by keeping a cool head, you both decide things mutually in a friendly way.  Moreover, they will also ensure that all the decisions fall under provincial law.

On the other hand, courts are time-consuming and come with a lot of hassles and pressure. Therefore, along with money, a lot of your time and hassles can be decreased if you can reach a mutual agreement.

It is not impossible, as nowadays many people are following this method to save themselves from the large expenses (such as solicitors fee for divorce).

To Wrap Up

Divorce is such a phase of our life that we will never want to encounter in our life. However, when there is no option left ahead of us, we need to take such a drastic step for a better future.

But then again, the cost of divorce in Canada came into play and put us in a terrifying situation. Yet, this situation can be narrow down to a great extent by coming to a mutual agreement.