What expenses are covered by child support?

In Québec, child support is designed to cover a child’s basic living expenses. Article 587.1 C.c.Q. and the Regulation respecting the determination of child support payments establish a base contribution meant to meet ordinary needs: food, housing, clothing, personal care, housekeeping, communication, transportation, and recreation. These expenses are presumed to correspond to the child’s regular cost of living. Additional special or extraordinary expenses—such as child care for employment or studies, uninsured health costs, private or post-secondary education, and extracurricular activities—are treated separately under section 7 of the Federal Child Support Guidelines and shared proportionally to each parent’s income.