Wildman

The parties, both former drug addicts, sought custody of their 9-year-old daughter.

The mother sought primary residence and a change of school, while the father sought sole custody and limited access for the mother, alleging ongoing substance abuse.

The court found no evidence of current substance abuse by the mother but noted her housing instability and the child's chronic absenteeism while in her care.

The court ordered joint custody, with the child residing primarily with the father during the school week to ensure educational stability, and spending alternate weekends and holidays with the mother.

The applicant mother and respondent father engaged in a highly conflictual 27-day trial regarding custody, access, child support, and the mother's request to relocate their four children to England to live with her new husband.

The court found the father to be abusive, emotionally unstable, and unable to shield the children from his hostility towards the mother and her new husband.

The mother was awarded sole custody and permitted to move the children to England, subject to conditions including immigration approval and child protection clearance.

The father's access was ordered to be supervised initially, with a pathway to unsupervised access and extended holiday visits if the move occurs.

The father was ordered to pay child support, with a reduction upon relocation due to the undue hardship of international access costs.

The children's aid society sought an order for Crown wardship without access for a 12-year-old child with significant behavioural and sexualized issues.

The mother sought the child's return to her care or, alternatively, unsupervised access.

The court found that the mother lacked insight into the child's needs, was unable to manage his behaviours, and consistently undermined his therapeutic placements due to her combative relationship with the society.

Concluding that the child required stability and specialized treatment that the mother could not support, the court ordered Crown wardship.

Access was denied as it was found to be destabilizing for the child and would impair future opportunities for adoption.

The self-represented applicant sought costs following a 21-day trial where she was awarded $15,573.63 for spousal support and contributions to a property.

The respondents sought full recovery costs of $71,473.57.

The court found the applicant's conduct highly unreasonable for most of the litigation, disentitling her to costs for that period.

However, after she made a reasonable settlement offer mid-trial, she was entitled to partial recovery costs.

The court awarded the applicant $3,250 in costs, factoring in her opportunity cost and the legal assistance she received.