# Child Support in Ontario: FRO, Enforcement, and What Happens If They Don't Pay When a parent doesn't pay child support, it's not just frustrating. It affects your ability to provide for your children. Rent, groceries, activities, childcare—these costs don't wait for your ex to decide they feel like paying. The good news is that Ontario takes child support enforcement seriously. The **Family Responsibility Office (FRO)** has significant powers to collect support, and those powers go far beyond sending reminder letters. This guide explains how FRO works, what enforcement tools are available, and what you can do if your ex isn't paying—or if you're the one struggling to pay. ## What Is the Family Responsibility Office (FRO)? The **Family Responsibility Office** is an Ontario government agency responsible for enforcing support orders and agreements. It's part of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. FRO's job is to collect child support and spousal support payments from the person who owes them (the **payor**) and send those payments to the person entitled to receive them (the **recipient**). FRO doesn't decide how much support should be paid. That's determined by a court order or a separation agreement. FRO's role is enforcement—making sure the payments actually happen. ## How Support Orders Get to FRO In Ontario, court support orders are typically sent to FRO for enforcement through the standard court process. When a court makes an order for child support or spousal support, a copy is sent to FRO, and enforcement begins. If you have a [separation agreement](/blog/separation-agreement-ontario-what-to-include) that includes support (rather than a court order), you can file it with FRO to have it enforced. You'll need to file the agreement with the court first, then it gets sent to FRO. Once FRO has your order or agreement, they track payments, receive money from the payor and forward it to you, take enforcement action if payments aren't made, and keep records of what's owed, including any [arrears](/glossary#letter-a) (unpaid amounts). ## Can You Withdraw from FRO? Yes, but think carefully before doing so. People can withdraw from FRO in some cases. Sometimes both parties agree to withdraw. In other situations, the recipient may be able to withdraw without the payor's consent if specific conditions are met, such as when the payor is up to date on payments, there's no enforcement action in progress, and the recipient hasn't previously withdrawn and re-registered. The specific requirements are set out in FRO's policies. If you withdraw, the payor pays the recipient directly instead of going through FRO. Some people prefer this because it can be faster (no processing delay through FRO), it feels less adversarial, and some payors prefer not having their employer involved. However, if you withdraw from FRO and payments later stop, you can re-register to get enforcement help. You can do this at any time, but there may be a delay before enforcement action begins. If there's any history of non-payment, any concern about reliability, or any power imbalance in the relationship, staying with FRO is usually the safer choice. ## What Happens When Payments Are Missed When a payor misses a child support payment, FRO doesn't immediately launch every enforcement tool at once. There's typically a progression. **First, the arrears accumulate.** Every missed payment adds to the total amount owed. Arrears don't disappear. They continue to be owed until paid, even if circumstances change later. **FRO may contact the payor.** They may send notices reminding the payor of their obligation and the consequences of non-payment. **Enforcement actions begin.** If payments continue to be missed, FRO starts using its enforcement powers. The specific actions depend on what information FRO has about the payor and what's most likely to be effective. ## FRO's Enforcement Powers FRO has a wide range of tools to collect unpaid support. These powers are set out in Ontario's *Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act*. ### Wage Garnishment (Income Deduction) The most common enforcement method is **garnishing wages**. FRO sends an order to the payor's employer requiring them to deduct support payments directly from the payor's pay and send the money to FRO. This is often done automatically when a support order is made, not just when there are arrears. Many payors have support deducted from their wages from day one, which helps ensure consistent payment. The employer must comply. Refusing to honour a support deduction order can result in penalties for the employer. ### Intercepting Federal Payments FRO can intercept certain **federal payments** that would otherwise go to the payor. This includes income tax refunds and certain other federal payments. If the payor is expecting a tax refund, FRO may take it and apply it to the arrears instead. ### Reporting to Credit Bureaus FRO can report support arrears to **credit bureaus**. This means unpaid child support can appear on the payor's credit report, affecting their ability to get loans, mortgages, credit cards, or even rental housing. This is both an enforcement tool (creating pressure to pay) and a natural consequence of owing money. ### Suspending Driver's Licence FRO can request that the Ministry of Transportation **suspend the payor's driver's licence** if they have arrears. This can be a significant motivator, especially for people who need to drive for work. The licence suspension remains in place until the payor makes arrangements to pay the arrears or the arrears are paid in full. ### Passport Denial (Issue or Renewal) FRO can request that **passport services be denied**. This means the federal government can refuse to issue a new passport or renew an existing one while the payor has arrears. For someone who travels for work or wants to take vacations, this can be a powerful incentive to pay. ### Suspending Other Federal Licences Beyond passports, FRO can request suspension of certain other **federal licences**, including some aviation licences and marine operator certificates. ### Registering a Lien Against Property FRO can register a **lien** against real property (land and buildings) owned by the payor. This means the arrears must be paid before the property can be sold or refinanced. If the payor owns a house, cottage, or other real estate, a lien ensures that the support debt is addressed when that property is dealt with. ### Garnishing Bank Accounts FRO can garnish money directly from **bank accounts**. If FRO knows where the payor banks, they can require the bank to pay out funds to satisfy the arrears. ### Seizing Assets In some cases, FRO can take steps to **seize and sell assets** to satisfy support arrears. This is less common than other enforcement methods but is available for significant arrears. ### Default Hearings If other enforcement methods aren't working, FRO can bring the payor before the court for a **default hearing**. At this hearing, the payor must explain why they haven't paid and what they can do about it. If the payor doesn't have a reasonable explanation or refuses to cooperate, the court can make further orders. In serious cases, this can include **incarceration** (jail time). Jail for non-payment of support is rare but does happen when a payor has the ability to pay, repeatedly refuses, and ignores court processes. The purpose of a default hearing isn't punishment for its own sake. It's to compel payment. A payor who genuinely cannot pay due to job loss or illness won't typically be jailed, but they'll be expected to show what efforts they're making and may be ordered to make reasonable payments. ## What FRO Cannot Do FRO has significant powers, but there are limits. **FRO cannot change the support amount.** If the payor believes the support order is unfair or based on outdated circumstances, they need to go to court to [vary the order](/blog/child-support-canada-how-calculated-when-changes). FRO enforces whatever the order says. **FRO cannot enforce orders from other countries directly.** If your support order is from another country, there's a process to have it recognized in Ontario first. **FRO cannot guarantee you'll receive money.** If the payor has no income, no assets, and no prospects, even FRO's enforcement tools may not produce immediate results. FRO can make life difficult for someone who refuses to pay, but they can't create money that doesn't exist. **FRO cannot provide legal advice.** They enforce orders but don't advise you on whether to vary your order or how to handle disputes. ## What To Do If You're Not Receiving Support If your ex isn't paying child support, here are the steps to take. ### Make Sure FRO Has Your Order If your support order or agreement isn't filed with FRO, file it. You can contact FRO to start this process. Without your order on file, FRO can't help you. ### Update Your Contact Information Make sure FRO has your current address and banking information so payments can reach you when they're collected. ### Provide Information About the Payor FRO's enforcement is more effective when they have good information about the payor. If you know your ex's employer, address, bank, or other relevant information, share it with FRO. The more they know, the more options they have. ### Be Patient but Persistent Enforcement takes time. Some tools (like wage garnishment) work quickly if the payor has steady employment. Others (like intercepting tax refunds) only work at certain times of year. Asset seizure and default hearings take longer to arrange. Check in with FRO periodically. Make sure they're actively working on your file and that they have current information. ### Consider Additional Legal Action In some cases, you may want to take your own legal action beyond what FRO does. This might include bringing a motion in family court to address the arrears, asking the court to find the payor in contempt, or seeking an order requiring the payor to provide financial disclosure. These steps require going to court, which may require a lawyer. If you can't afford a lawyer, see our guide on [free and low-cost family law help in Ontario](/blog/free-low-cost-family-law-help-ontario). ## What If You're the One Who Can't Pay? If you're the payor and you're struggling to make payments, the worst thing you can do is simply stop paying and hope it goes away. It won't. Arrears accumulate. Enforcement actions escalate. Your credit suffers. Eventually, your licence may be suspended or you may face a default hearing. ### If Your Circumstances Have Changed If your income has dropped significantly due to job loss, illness, or other genuine reasons, you may be able to vary (change) the support order. But **you must take legal steps to do this**. Simply not paying doesn't reduce your obligation. Until a court changes the order, you owe what the order says. Apply to vary the order as soon as possible. Courts can sometimes backdate a variation, but there's no guarantee. The longer you wait, the more arrears pile up. For more on this, see our guide on [whether child support can be changed](/blog/child-support-canada-how-calculated-when-changes). ### Communicate with FRO If you're having trouble paying, contact FRO. They may be able to set up a payment arrangement that addresses current support plus a manageable amount toward arrears. FRO's goal is to collect support for children, not to make your life impossible. If you're genuinely trying to meet your obligations, working with FRO is better than ignoring them. ### Don't Hide Income or Assets Hiding income or assets to avoid support is illegal and counterproductive. Courts can [impute income](/glossary#letter-i) (assign you a higher income than you report) if they believe you're underemployed by choice or hiding earnings. And if you're caught hiding assets, it will damage your credibility and may result in serious consequences. ### Get Legal Advice If you're facing significant arrears or enforcement action, talk to a [family law lawyer](/blog/how-to-choose-a-divorce-lawyer-in-ontario). They can help you understand your options, including whether a variation application makes sense and how to deal with arrears. ## How Arrears Work **Arrears** are the unpaid support that has accumulated. If you owe $500/month and miss three payments, you have $1,500 in arrears. Arrears do not automatically disappear just because time passes. They remain owing unless they are paid or a court changes them. Arrears can also include **interest** in some cases. If interest applies under your order, it can be claimed and enforced, including through a Statement of Arrears filed with FRO. Not every order includes interest, but when it applies, it adds to the total amount owed. In some circumstances, a court can reduce or cancel arrears, but this requires a court application and is not automatic. Courts are generally reluctant to forgive arrears that accumulated while a payor had the ability to pay. If you're a recipient, don't assume old arrears are uncollectible. FRO continues to enforce arrears even if they're years old. ## Arrears and Retroactive Support Sometimes a support order includes **retroactive support**—support for a period before the order was made. This creates instant arrears that the payor must address. Retroactive support is common when there's been a delay in establishing support or when a payor's income was higher than previously known. Courts can order retroactive support going back up to three years in many cases. If you receive an order with retroactive support, FRO will enforce those arrears along with ongoing support. ## What If the Payor Lives in Another Province? If the payor lives in another province but your support order is from Ontario, FRO can still help. There are **interjurisdictional agreements** that allow enforcement across provincial borders. FRO can work with the equivalent agency in the payor's province to enforce the order. This might include wage garnishment through the other province's system. The process can be slower than in-province enforcement, but it works. ## What If the Payor Lives in Another Country? International enforcement is more complicated but not impossible. Canada has **reciprocal enforcement agreements** with many countries. If the payor lives in a country with such an agreement, you may be able to register your Ontario order there for enforcement. If there's no agreement, or if the other country's enforcement is weak, collection can be very difficult. If your ex has moved to another country and stopped paying, get legal advice about your options. ## What If the Payor Is Self-Employed? Collecting from self-employed payors can be more challenging than from employees because there's no employer to garnish wages through. Self-employed people may also have more ability to manipulate their apparent income. FRO can still use other tools: intercepting tax refunds, suspending licences, registering liens, garnishing bank accounts, and bringing default hearings. If you believe a self-employed payor is hiding income, you may need to go to court to seek disclosure and potentially ask for income to be imputed at a higher level. ## What If the Payor Has No Income? If the payor genuinely has no income and no assets, enforcement is difficult. You can't garnish wages that don't exist or seize assets that aren't there. However, FRO will continue to track the arrears. If the payor's situation improves—they get a job, receive an inheritance, buy property—FRO can act. Arrears don't disappear. They wait. ## The Intersection with Parenting Time A common question: can you withhold parenting time if support isn't paid? Or can you stop paying support if parenting time isn't being honoured? **The answer to both is no.** Child support and parenting time are **separate legal obligations**. You cannot withhold one because the other isn't being met. If your ex isn't paying support, you still have to follow the parenting schedule. If your ex isn't following the parenting schedule, you still have to pay support. Each issue has its own enforcement mechanisms. Non-payment of support is dealt with through FRO and the courts. Violations of parenting orders are dealt with through the courts (see our guide on [what to do if your ex won't follow the parenting schedule](/blog/what-if-ex-wont-follow-parenting-schedule-court-order)). Taking matters into your own hands by withholding parenting time or support will likely backfire and may result in consequences for you. ## Key Takeaways The **Family Responsibility Office (FRO)** enforces child support and spousal support orders in Ontario. Court support orders are typically sent to FRO for enforcement through the standard process. FRO's enforcement powers include **wage garnishment**, intercepting tax refunds and certain other federal payments, **suspending driver's licences**, **denying passport issuance or renewal**, reporting to credit bureaus, registering liens against property, garnishing bank accounts, and bringing payors to court for **default hearings** that can result in jail time in serious cases. **Arrears** (unpaid support) accumulate and do not automatically disappear just because time passes. They remain owing unless paid or changed by a court. Interest may also apply in some cases depending on your order. People can **withdraw from FRO** in some cases, including when both parties agree or when the recipient meets certain conditions. If payments stop later, the recipient can re-register. If you're **not receiving support**: make sure your order is filed with FRO, provide information about the payor, and be patient but persistent. You can also take additional legal action. If you **can't pay support**: do not simply stop paying. Apply to vary the order if your circumstances have changed. Communicate with FRO. Hiding income makes things worse. Child support and parenting time are **separate obligations**. You cannot withhold one because the other isn't being met. FRO can enforce across provincial borders and, in some cases, internationally. If you're dealing with significant arrears or complex enforcement issues, get legal advice. ### Disclaimer This article provides general information about child support enforcement in Ontario. It is not legal advice. Enforcement procedures and options depend on your specific situation. For advice about your case, speak to a family law lawyer.