Laura Camarra

Following an eight-day family law trial where the mother was the more successful party, the court determined issues of interest and costs.

The parties consented to pre-judgment interest at 1.8% and post-judgment interest at 2%.

The mother sought costs of approximately $188,000 on a full indemnity basis, citing the father's unreasonable behaviour and her offers to settle.

The court found both parties engaged in some unreasonable behaviour and that the mother's offers did not trigger the cost consequences of Rule 18.

Applying principles of proportionality and reasonableness, the court fixed costs payable by the father at $55,000.

The parties separated after a short marriage and cohabitation of 45 months.

The father sought shared decision-making responsibility and a 2-2-3 parenting schedule, while the mother sought sole decision-making and a specific parenting schedule, citing a history of family violence.

The court found that the father had engaged in family violence through a pattern of coercive control and inability to manage anger, making shared decision-making inappropriate.

The mother was granted sole decision-making responsibility and the children's primary residence, with the father receiving specified parenting time.

The court also ordered the father to pay child support, lump sum spousal support of $2,750, and the full presumptive equalization payment of $211,000, finding that the amount was not unconscionable despite the short cohabitation.

The applicant mother and respondent father separated after a five-year relationship.

The mother sought sole decision-making responsibility, a change to the children's surnames, child support, and spousal support.

The court granted the mother final decision-making responsibility after a required consultation process, citing the parties' inability to communicate effectively.

The request to change the children's surnames was dismissed as not being in their best interests.

The father was ordered to pay ongoing child support, child support arrears, and non-compensatory spousal support for a fixed duration.