The Matrimonial Home, Report for Discussion 14

This report discusses potential changes to the Dower Act and the Matrimonial Property Act. The Dower Act was created with the intent of supporting widows after the death of their husbands, by providing them with ownership, for the remainder of their lives, of the matrimonial home. This report investigates ways in which that intended support can be continued, given modern complexities. The report also considers situations in which, after a divorce or separation, a spouse can obtain occupation of the […]

March 2, 1995

Division of Canada Pension Plan Credits in Alberta, Final Report 58

The Canada Pension Plan Act, RSC 1985, c C-8, as amended in 1987, allowed that on the appropriate minister being informed of a divorce, the total Canada Pension Plan (“CPP”) credits accumulated by both spouses through the course of the marriage would be split evenly between both ex-spouses. These amendments reflected a desire to protect women who, because of their unpaid contributions within the home, had historically suffered greater poverty in retirement than men. However, […]

November 1, 1990

Section 16 of the Matrimonial Property Act, Final Report 57

Section 16 of the Matrimonial Property Act, RSA 1980, c M-9, stated that the rights of a person who started a property action against a spouse did not survive that person’s death, and thus the action could not be continued by his or her estate. This was based on the legal policy that matrimonial property should be available for the use of a surviving spouse. This report notes that, in practice, this section led to […]

March 1, 1990

Matrimonial Property: Division of Pension Benefits Upon Marriage Breakdown, Final Report 48

This report recommends amendments to the Matrimonial Property Act to improve the division of the benefits of a pension plan upon marriage breakdown. It covers all pension plans that fall under provincial jurisdiction or that can be reached by Alberta court orders. Recommendations are designed to achieve fairness, minimize the future entanglement of spouses’ financial affairs, encourage settlements, minimize financial and emotional costs, and protect the interests of the employers and other employees in pension plans and […]

August 2, 1986

Matrimonial Property: Division of Pension Benefits upon Marriage Breakdown, Report for Discussion 2

The Attorney General asked the Institute to study the division of pensions in the event of marriage breakdown with a view to proposing statutory guidelines to be used by the Court. This report provides tentative proposals that were followed up and solidified in the final report relating to pension plans registered under the Pension Benefits Act (Alberta), a number of Alberta public sector pension plans, and non-Alberta pension plans under which Alberta law will be applied to […]

May 2, 1985

Family Relief, Final Report 29

This report was undertaken as part of ALRI’s studies on the reform of family law. The Family Relief Act provides for an award from an estate for the maintenance of the surviving spouse and a limited class of children. The maintenance must come from the net estate after payment of claims against the deceased. An eligible dependant may apply to the court within six months of the grant of probate or administration. There is provision […]

June 1, 1978

The Status of the Common Law Wife in Relation to the Fatal Accidents Act

January 2, 1974

Rights of Occupation of a Non-Owning Spouse in the Matrimonial Home

January 1, 1973

Married Women’s Property and Maintenance Rights

Joinder of Divorce Proceedings with other Causes of Action, Final Report 7

This report addresses the joinder of divorce proceedings with other causes of action between husband and wife. Section 2(g) of the Divorce Act, 1968, provides that “‘petition’ for divorce means a petition or motion for a decree of divorce, either with or without corollary relief by way of an order under section 10 or 11”. It can be argued that this definition effectively precludes any collateral issues being introduced in the petition for divorce and […]

August 2, 1971