Family law is a changing and dynamic field. In the twenty-first century, Canadian families encounter new challenges. Two-income families, with or without children, high divorce and remarriage rates, and the increasing incidence of unmarried cohabitation, whether involving opposite- or same-sex couples, have fostered new family structures and radical legal reforms. At the same time, there has been increased recognition of the inherent limitations of the law in regulating marriage and the family.

The eleventh edition of Canadian Family Law is a companion volume to Payne and Payne’s Child Support Guidelines in Canada, 2026. Written by leading Canadian family law experts Julien D. Payne and Marilyn A. Payne, this text examines the impact of recent judicial decisions and fundamental changes to the Divorce Act and provides insights into how family law is evolving to address the changing nature of families and relationships and the challenges they face. Updates to this edition also reflect important new trial and appellate decisions across Canada on a variety of issues, including spousal support, child support, and grandparental contact orders, and legislative amendments in 2019 relating to parenting disputes.