The Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) ensures that individuals meet their obligations to pay spousal and child support under the terms of their court orders and certain agreements. Once an order or agreement has been registered with MEP, maintenance payments that the debtor (payor) would normally remit directly to the creditor (recipient) are sent to MEP. MEP then forwards the payment to the creditor once the funds have cleared through a trust account.

In cases of default, or non-payment by the debtor, MEP has the legislative authority to take steps to enforce the support owed. These enforcement tools include registrations at the Land Titles Registry and the Personal Property Registry; wage, non-wage and federal support deduction notices; federal licence (passport) denials; motor vehicle registry restrictions and driver's licence cancellations; registration at the credit bureau and compelling attendance at default court hearings. MEP also has access to a variety of databases to assist in locating a debtor or a debtor's assets or income.

There are approximately 100,000 creditors and debtors and over 64,000 children registered with MEP.

Subject index topics:
Maintenance Enforcement Program