Parenting through separation

Decision-making and parenting time in Ontario — how it actually works

Ontario stopped using "custody" and "access" in 2021. The new terms — decision-making responsibility and parenting time — are not just rebrands. They change how courts frame the conversation and what they look at. Here is the plain-English version of how it actually works, and the one thing to do this week.

Norm Barrette · May 14, 2026 · 8 min read