Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs

This survey collects statistical and descriptive information on child and spousal support payments from provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement programs.

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Data (15)

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Analysis (9)

Analysis (9) ((9 results))

  • Stats in brief: 11-627-M2023030
    Description: The Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs (SMEP) collects information on child and spousal support payments and cases from provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement programs (MEPs). These programs exist in each province and territory to assist in the collection and enforcement of child and spousal support payments.

    The SMEP data provide information on the volume and type of cases enrolled, enforcement actions taken, support amounts due and compliance with support payments, among other measures. The data do not cover all support cases in Canada, as not all support orders are registered in MEPs.
    Release date: 2023-03-24

  • Stats in brief: 11-001-X2015055382
    Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin
    Release date: 2015-02-24

  • Stats in brief: 11-001-X20131144813
    Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin
    Release date: 2013-04-24

  • Articles and reports: 85-002-X201300111780
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    This Juristat article profiles cases enrolled with a Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) and examines changes in the payment patterns of child and spousal support over time. It focuses on payors with ongoing monthly support obligations in order to examine changes in the proportion of payors making a monthly support payment during the first years of enrolment in a MEP, changes in enforcement activity, and changes in payors' patterns of payment regularity over time. The analysis draws on information from the Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs.

    Release date: 2013-04-24

  • Stats in brief: 11-001-X20121494920
    Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin
    Release date: 2012-05-28

  • Articles and reports: 85-002-X201200111628
    Geography: Canada, Province or territory
    Description:

    Using data available from the Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs, the article profiles a particularly challenging aspect of maintenance enforcement, interjurisdictional support order (ISO) cases of child and spousal support within nine provinces and territories: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The article gives a general overview of maintenance enforcement cases, followed by a detailed analysis of ISO cases, and concludes with a look at international ISO cases.

    Release date: 2012-03-28

  • Articles and reports: 85-002-X201100111424
    Geography: Province or territory
    Description:

    Using data available from the Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs, the article examines selected child and spousal support statistics by metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas within eight provinces and territories: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. A fact sheet is provided for each reporting jurisdiction.

    Release date: 2011-03-29

  • Articles and reports: 85-002-X201000111116
    Geography: Census metropolitan area
    Description:

    This study looks at child and spousal support, and government enforcement of that support, in different neighbourhoods (Census Tracts, CTs) in the census metropolitan areas from reporting jurisdictions (Halifax, Saint John, Moncton, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary and Edmonton). CTs are grouped into income quintiles; comparisons are made between lower and higher income CTs on a variety of indicators.

    Release date: 2010-03-25

  • Articles and reports: 85-002-X200900110784
    Geography: Province or territory
    Description:

    This Juristat article examines the number of children and families touched by services of the five Maintenance Enforcement Programs currently reporting to the Survey of Maintenance Enforcement Programs (SMEP). Maintenance Enforcement Programs (MEPs) were created to provide assistance to payors and recipients of child and spousal support, and to improve compliance with support payments primarily for the benefit of the children implicated in the parental break up. Also discussed is the amount of support due to families owed child support, the proportion of these families actually receiving support, and the enforcement response by MEPs when payors default on their child support payments. The final section touches on reciprocating enforcement for interprovincial or international cases that involve two MEPs or child support agencies.

    Information is collected through the SMEP. This survey gathers information on the caseload of the MEP, the sex and median age of payors, recipients and children, typical support amounts, compliance rates, information on arrears, frequency and amount of payments, legislation under which the order for support was made, and types of actions that are initiated in order to enforce support.

    This report contains data from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. In future years, with more provinces and territories able to report to the SMEP, a more complete national picture of maintenance enforcement will emerge.

    Release date: 2009-03-12
Reference (1)

Reference (1) ((1 result))

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 85-552-X
    Geography: Province or territory
    Description:

    This report presents a description of the organization and operation of provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement programs. It describes the relevant provincial legislation, highlights latest developments, provides a general description of each program, describes how each manages cases, intake/withdrawal procedures, tracing, monitoring, payment processing and enforcement practices. As such, the reader will be able to identify the variations and similarities between the various programs. All of the maintenance enforcement programs rely upon several federal acts to collect, trace and enforce support payments. Therefore, a review of the relevant federal legislation is presented first, followed by a description of each provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement program.

    Release date: 2002-08-01