Justice Minister announces new child support service

Justice Minister Kelvin Parsons today announced a new child support service for western Newfoundland.

The new service will be offered through the Family Justice Services Western pilot project in Corner Brook.

"The Family Justice Services Western is being well received by residents in the Corner Brook area," said Minister Parsons. "The federal government recognizes the value of this service and has entered into an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to expand the pilot project by establishing a child support service."

Family Justice Services Western provides education, mediation and counseling services to adults and children where applications for divorce, custody, access, child and/or spousal support have been made to the Supreme Court of Newfoundland at Corner Brook or the provincial courts at Corner Brook, Stephenville, Port aux Basques and the Northern Peninsula.

The project is enhanced to incorporate an automatic annual recalculation of child support.

"This recalculation will provide an automatic, inexpensive and less adversarial manner for parents to have their child support orders updated," said Minister Parsons.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the first jurisdiction in the country to provide a recalculation model for parties who have child support orders.

There are no financial implications for the province. The federal government has allocated funds to Family Justice Services Western to secure the services of one individual to deal with recalculation issues.

Media contact: Edwina Bateman, Communications (709) 729-6985.

2002 02 04                        4:10 p.m.