Open ProvincesSeparation, parenting and child support in Alberta: free help and enforcement
Where to get free help with parenting and child support after separation in Alberta, and how support orders are enforced, from the official pages.
Free help and support enforcement
Alberta's Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) collects court-ordered child, spousal and partner support (either payor or recipient can register, but only for a filed order or agreement; it gives no legal advice). Family Justice Services offers the Parenting After Separation course and help with child support calculations; the Child Support Recalculation Program updates court-ordered amounts and the Child Support Resolution Program helps parents in some regions reach an agreement.
Married parents who divorce are also covered by the federal Divorce Act and federal Child Support Guidelines; unmarried or separated parents use provincial or territorial law. Enforcement programs collect support under an existing order or filed agreement: they do not change it or give legal advice. If there is violence, see our family violence page first. Rules, fees and programs change and were read on 2026-11-14: confirm with the official source. General information, not legal advice. Quebec follows its own rules: see atlasquebec.ca.
Guides for this province
- Renting in Alberta: rights, rent increases and average rents
- Working in Alberta: minimum wage, standards and wages
- Moving to Alberta: health card, driver's licence and taxes
- Cost of living in Alberta: prices, rent, wages and taxes
- Buying a home in Alberta: land transfer tax, rebates and first-time buyer help
- Health care in Alberta: health card, drug plans and dental help
- Studying in Alberta: tuition, student aid and grants
- Seniors in Alberta: pensions, supplements and programs
- Taxes in Alberta: income tax rates, sales tax and take-home pay (2026)
- Families in Alberta: child benefits and family programs
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- Help for family violence and victims of crime in Alberta
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