On June 30, 2025, Québec introduced a major change to family law called the Parental Union Regime (régime d’union parentale). This new law gives legal protections to couples who live together and have children but are not married.

For decades, unmarried couples in Québec have had very few legal rights toward each other, even when they shared a home, raised children, and built a life together. That’s about to change, and the impact could reach far beyond the couple themselves, especially when property is involved.

Why this change?

Québec stands apart from the rest of Canada when it comes to family structure. Nearly 40 % of parents in the province live together as common-law spouses. Yet, up until now, those couples have had no legal safety net. When a relationship ended, each partner simply kept what was in their own name, no matter how long they’d lived together or how much they’d contributed to the family.

By contrast, married or civilly united spouses enjoy automatic protections. The family home, furnishings, and certain financial assets are divided fairly when the marriage ends, and the stay-at-home partner is recognized for their unpaid contributions to the household.

This imbalance came under national scrutiny in the “Éric v. Lola” Supreme Court case in 2013, where the court confirmed that Québec law could exclude unmarried couples from these protections. Since then, there’s been growing pressure to modernize the system and better reflect the reality of today’s families.

The new parental union regime is the government’s response, a middle ground that recognizes the shared economic life of unmarried parents while still allowing flexibility for those who prefer to opt out.

Who is affected?

The new regime will automatically apply to any couple living together who has or adopts a child on or after June 30, 2025. From that day forward, they are legally recognized as being in a parental union, even if they never sign anything.

Couples who already had children before that date can choose to opt in by signing an agreement, either before two witnesses or with a notary.

On the other hand, some may wish to opt out. That’s possible too, but only by mutual agreement, and it must be in writing or notarized. Couples have up to ninety days after the child’s birth or adoption to exclude themselves from the regime.

What changes under the new law?

At the heart of this reform is the creation of the Parental Union Patrimony, which functions much like a simplified version of the family patrimony that exists for married couples. It ensures that both partners share fairly in the value of property used by their family.

The patrimony includes the family residence, its furnishings and household items, and any vehicles used for family purposes. These assets are considered jointly owned in terms of value, even if they’re legally registered under only one person’s name.

When a parental union ends through separation, death, or one partner getting married, the value of that patrimony is divided equally between the partners, after debts are accounted for.

Some assets are excluded, such as pensions, RRSPs, or inheritances, unless they were used for family purposes or gained value through both partners’ contributions.

The law also introduces a compensatory allowance that lets a court recognize unpaid work, such as child-rearing or household duties, that contributed to the other partner’s financial gain.

However, the regime does not create any right to spousal support. Only married or civilly united couples can make that claim. The parental union focuses on property division and inheritance rights, not ongoing financial support.

In the event of a death without a will, a partner in a parental union may now inherit a share of the estate, provided the couple lived together for at least one year.

A real-life example

Imagine a family that owns a duplex. The parents live upstairs, while their adult son occupies the lower unit. His partner, who is not married to him, moves in, and together they have a baby in August 2025.

From the moment their child is born, that couple is automatically covered by the Parental Union Regime. Two years later, their relationship ends. The son remains in the lower unit and asks his former partner, the child’s mother, to move out so his parents can sell the building. She refuses to leave. Under the new law, she has legal rights related to the family residence, since that unit was the home where the child was being raised. Even though she doesn’t own the property, she can continue living there temporarily to protect the child’s stability. In some cases, a court could even grant the parent with custody the right to occupy the family home until new arrangements are made.

This scenario highlights how the new regime could create unexpected complications for property owners, especially in families that share multi-unit homes or allow adult children to live in them.

Key take-aways

For many families, this new law brings long-overdue protection for unmarried parents and their children. But it also introduces new legal and financial implications that everyone should understand.

Couples having children after June 2025 should review how this regime could affect their assets, especially if one partner owns property. Those who prefer not to be included can opt out, but only through a signed or notarized agreement made within the legal time frame.

Property owners, parents, and landlords may also want to review their ownership structures and living arrangements. A proactive conversation with a notary or legal professional now can prevent stressful surprises later. We’ve talked about the benefits of co-habitation agreements before.

The parental union regime marks a major step forward in modernizing Québec’s family law. Awareness and preparation will be key to navigating this new reality with clarity and fairness.

If you need sound advice on how these new rules could affect your property or your family situation, call Team Broady at 514-613-2988 or by email at info@teambroady.ca.