Glossary

Interjurisdictional Support Services (IJSS) – 2024 Postal Strike Disruption

During the 2024 Canada Post strike, people involved with interjurisdictional Support Order (ISO) matters will not be able to mail their applications and documents to the IJSS office.

If you are submitting an application to IJSS, you may:

• Courier your application to the IJSS office at the address below; or
• Submit your application to a Justice Access Centre/Family Justice Centre and it will be forwarded to the IJSS office.

If you are responding to an application, you may:

• Courier your documents to the IJSS office at the address below; or
• Contact your case manager at the number below for other options that may be available.

Interjurisdictional Support Services (IJSS)

601-700 Georgia St W
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1K8
Phone: 604-660-2528
Toll-free (within Canada): 1-866-660-2684
Outside of Canada: 1-604-660-2528

Terms that start with A

The age when a person legally becomes an adult. In B.C., the age of majority is 19. Other provinces, territories and countries may have a different age of majority.

Provinces where the age of majority is 18:

Alberta
Manitoba
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan

Provinces and territories where the age of majority is 19:

British Columbia
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Yukon

The person applying for an order.

Maintenance or support that has not been paid.

Terms that start with C

: A copy made by the court from the original order signed by the judge. The court copy has a stamp on it saying it is certified by the court and includes an original signature from a court official.
: Set of rules and table used to calculate the amount of child support that one parent must pay to the other parent after separation or divorce. There are federal guidelines, and one for each of the Canadian provinces and territories. Many foreign countries also have their own guidelines.
: A country that is part of the 2007 Hague Convention.

Terms that start with D

The body or office in a Canadian province or territory that is responsible for receiving and sending support interjurisdictional applications and orders under the provincial ISO law and the Divorce Act. In B.C., the Interjurisdictional Support Services (IJSS) office carries out these functions.

Under the Divorce Act, this is a country outside of Canada that has a reciprocal arrangement with a Canadian province or territory to get, change or recognize support orders. These countries are listed in the regulation under the provincial ISO law in the province or territory where the respondent lives.

Countries that are designated jurisdictions with B.C. can be found in the ISO Regulation. (These countries are also listed on the home page under ‘reciprocating jurisdictions’.)

Terms that start with H

: An international treaty regarding the getting, changing and enforcing of child and spousal support orders. Canada is a contracting party, and as of March 1, 2024, so is BC.

Terms that start with R

: Under provincial ISO law, this is a province, territory or country with which B.C. has a reciprocal arrangement to recognize child and spousal support orders and agreements made in each other’s place. An order or written agreement made in one place can be enforced in the other.
: The person responding to an application.

Terms that start with S

: Additional payments to the base child support amount that are for expenses, such as a child’s education, medical, dental, childcare or extracurricular activities.
: Child support is money that a parent (the person who does not have primary custody/parenting time for the child) pays to the other parent to support a child. Spousal support is money that a spouse pays to a former spouse for financial support.
: A court order requiring the payment of child and/or spousal support by one parent or former spouse to another.

Terms that start with W

: An agreement stating child and/or spousal support payments that one party must pay to the other, which is signed by both parties and filed in court.