This petition asks the Minister of Justice to change how child support payments are calculated — using net income instead of gross income, and excluding overtime or bonus pay — and to launch a review of the child support guidelines to reflect how Canadian families and work have changed.

Current guidelines rely primarily on gross annual income, which often includes overtime, bonuses, and irregular earnings. This approach can penalize parents who work overtime out of necessity, or to meet existing obligations, and create unstable support orders that fluctuate with temporary or unpredictable income;

While child support is intended to benefit children, there is currently no mechanism for transparency or accountability regarding how funds are used; and

Canadian families and economic conditions have changed significantly since the guidelines were introduced.

We, the undersigned,citizens of Canada affected by the child support guidelines, call upon theMinister of Justiceto: 1. Amend child support guideline calculations to be based on net income, excluding overtime and other non-guaranteed earnings, unless such income is demonstrably consistent and long-term; and 2. Initiate a comprehensive review that incorporates contemporary family structures, employment realities, and the best interests of children in today’s Canada.