The respondent mother sought urgent temporary sole custody, primary residence, and an order to travel with the parties' child (Y, under three) to Vancouver, B.C., for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a suspension of the applicant father's in-person parenting time and a restraining order.
The applicant father brought a cross-motion for an equal parenting schedule and a prohibition on removing the child from Ontario.
The court, finding the matter urgent, dismissed the mother's request to travel, citing public health risks, the federal advisory against non-essential travel, and the child's need for stability and continued contact with both parents.
The court set aside a prior joint custody order due to concerns about the father's conduct towards the mother but declined to grant sole custody, requiring further testing of allegations.
A temporary parenting schedule was established, granting the father parenting time from Thursday evening to Sunday evening weekly, with exchanges facilitated by his sister.
Requests for a s. 30 assessment, Office of the Children's Lawyer referral, and a new restraining order were dismissed without prejudice, noting the impracticality of assessments during the pandemic and the existence of a criminal restraining order.