If you and your partner are planning to have or adopt a child in Quebec this year, a major change is about to affect your legal rights, even if you're not married.
Starting June 30, 2025, a new law called the "parental union regime" will come into effect, automatically applying to common-law couples (also known as de facto unions) who become parents after that date. The new status gives unmarried partners many of the same protections as married couples when it comes to separation, property, and inheritance.
The reform is part of Quebec's broader overhaul of family law, aimed at closing the legal gap between married and unmarried parents. As Éducaloi puts it, the change gives common-law parents "more protection and rights" — especially in the event of a breakup or a partner's death.
Here's what that means for couples across the province, according the Loi portant sur la réforme du droit de la famille et instituant le régime d’union parentale, adopted in May 2024.
What is a parental union, and who does it apply to?
If you and your partner are living together and have a child — by birth or adoption — on or after June 30, you'll be automatically placed under the new regime. This applies regardless of whether you're married, in a civil union, or just living together.
For couples who already have children before that date, the law doesn't apply automatically. But you can still opt in by mutual agreement and sign a legal document before witnesses or a notary.
What rights do couples get?
The law introduces a new concept called parental union patrimony, which means some of your family assets will be shared equally if you separate or one of you dies.
This includes the family home, household furniture, and vehicles used by the family — even if they're officially owned by just one partner. However, couples can choose to exclude certain assets or opt out of the regime altogether by signing a notarized agreement.
It also introduces protection for the family residence. If a couple breaks up, a judge can allow the parent who has custody of the children to stay in the home temporarily — even if the house legally belongs to the other partner.
What if a couple separates?
Until now, common-law parents in Quebec had very little legal protection if they split up. But starting June 30, 2025, new parents will gain access to many of the same rights and protections as married couples, or at least something close.
That includes rules around who stays in the family home, how shared property gets divided, and even the right to ask for compensation if one partner earns significantly less while contributing to the other's financial success.
That said, according to the Chambre des Notaires de Quebec, things like RRSPs, pensions, and QPP earnings won't be automatically split unless both partners specifically include them in a notarial agreement.
What if I already have a child with my partner?
The new rules only apply automatically to new births or adoptions after June 30, 2025. But existing common-law parents can voluntarily opt in to the regime through a notarized deed or a signed contract.
If you choose not to opt in now but have another child after the law takes effect, you'll be automatically covered for that child, and the new regime will apply from then on.
According to the Quebec government and legal experts like Éducaloi, this law aims to reduce legal uncertainty and better protect children and their parents in common-law situations.
In the event of conflict, the new law also gives courts more tools to detect and punish this type of abuse in the context of separation, the Chambre des Notaires de Quebec states on its website.
More information about the new law can also be found on educaloi.qc.ca.
This story was adapted from the article "Tout savoir sur la nouvelle loi pour les futurs parents qui prend effet en juin au Québec," which was originally published on Narcity Quebec.
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