As the Support Enforcement Program navigates its operations through the first and now a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, our objective continues to focus on ensuring that support payments are received and disbursed pursuant to the Support Orders Enforcement Act, 2006. We are aware that some government emergency assistance programs are ending or transitioning and we recognize that this may impact the ability of our clients to comply with their court ordered support obligations going forward.

Clients who have lost their job or have had their incomes reduced due to COVID-19 are still expected to continue paying support.

The Support Enforcement Program does not have the ability to change or vary a support order. Support Orders can only be varied by way of a new judge’s order or by the parties filing a consent order/agreement with the court.  Provincial Court operations resumed, effective June 29, 2020, and Supreme Court operations resumed, effective May 19, 2020.

Clients who have outstanding support amounts owing and feel they do not have the means or ability to comply with their court ordered support obligations are strongly encouraged to make application to the court or seek assistance through Family Justice Services (FJS) to vary their court order.  FJS can provide information on how child support is calculated and if both the payor and recipient are willing to discuss the matter, FJS mediators may be able to help them reach an agreement and file a consent order with the court. The FJS process may take a few months before the child support issues are resolved and a new court order is filed. However, it is generally faster than the time it takes to have the matter resolved by the court.  For more information on Family Justice Services, clients are encouraged go to the following link: https://court.nl.ca/supreme/family/fjs.html to contact their local FJS office.

St. John’s 3rd Floor, 285 Duckworth Street St. John’s, NL 709-729-1183	Marystown 245 Marie Drive Marystown, NL 709-279-0833
Clarenville 45 Tilley’s Road Clarenville, NL 709-466-4036	Gander The McCurdy Complex, 2nd Floor Gander, NL 709-256-1205
Grand Falls-Windsor 3 Cromer Avenue Provincial Building, 4th Floor Grand Falls-Windsor, NL 709-292-1194	Stephenville 143 Main Street Stephenville, NL 709-643-8396
Corner Brook 133 Riverside Drive Corner Brook, NL 709-634-4174	Happy Valley-Goose Bay Elizabeth Goudie Bldg., Suite 174 Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL 709-896-7941
Labrador City 45 Tamarack Place Labrador City, NL 709-944-3209

Payors and recipients who wish to discuss their support enforcement file should continue to contact the Support Enforcement Program directly at 709-637-2608 or 1-855-637-2608. At this time, individual client inquiries remain high and support enforcement staff are responding to all requests for assistance as quickly as possible. The Support Enforcement Program thanks you for your continued patience during these extraordinary times.