Quebec is suggesting a new legal status for unmarried, non-civil union couples with children that would establish a framework for dividing family assets if the parents break up.
The “parental union” label is the main focus of a bill to reform family law introduced on Wednesday by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette .
The government would consider certain property, such as the family home, furniture, and vehicles, as shared assets regardless of who bought them, under a parental union.
The value of these assets would be split equally between the parents if they separate, but couples could opt out of this or adjust its scope.
Jolin-Barrette says the new status would provide legal recognition for the many unmarried parents in Quebec and offer more support for their children.
The Quebec government reports that the proportion of unmarried couples in the province has increased fivefold in the past 40 years, from eight percent in 1981 to 42 percent in 2021.
