S. Herschorn

The respondent husband was successful on a motion for disclosure and sought costs.

The applicant wife, who was self-represented, failed to make an offer to settle or provide costs submissions.

Applying the Family Law Rules and the principles from Serra v. Serra, the court emphasized that litigants of modest means must still act reasonably and attempt settlement.

The court awarded the husband $6,000 in costs, inclusive of disbursements and HST.

The respondent father brought a motion for reunification counselling with his daughter, interim spousal support, interim disbursements, and an equalization payment advance.

The applicant mother opposed the relief.

The court found it had jurisdiction under the Children's Law Reform Act to order reunification therapy and directed the parties to engage a specified therapist.

The court awarded the father interim spousal support of $500 per month but dismissed his claims for interim disbursements and an equalization advance, finding the mother lacked the means and the test for an advance was not met.