Divorce Act — D-3.4 17
 support order shall do so in accordance with the applicable guidelines. Court may take agreement, etc., into account (6.2) Notwithstanding subsection (6.1), in making a variation order in respect of a child support order, a court may award an amount that is different from the amount that would be determined in accordance with the applicable guidelines if the court is satisfied (a) that special provisions in an order, a judgment or a written agreement respecting the financial obligations of the spouses, or the division or transfer of their property, directly or indirectly benefit a child, or that special provisions have otherwise been made for the benefit of a child; and (b) that the application of the applicable guidelines would result in an amount of child support that is inequitable given those special provisions. Reasons (6.3) Where the court awards, pursuant to subsection (6.2), an amount that is different from the amount that would be determined in accordance with the applicable guidelines, the court shall record its reasons for having done so. Consent orders (6.4) Notwithstanding subsection (6.1), a court may award an amount that is different from the amount that would be determined in accordance with the applicable guidelines on the consent of both spouses if it is satisfied that reasonable arrangements have been made for the support of the child to whom the order relates. Reasonable arrangements (6.5) For the purposes of subsection (6.4), in determining whether reasonable arrangements have been made for the support of a child, the court shall have regard to the applicable guidelines. However, the court shall not consider the arrangements to be unreasonable solely because the amount of support agreed to is not the same as the amount that would otherwise have been determined in accordance with the applicable guidelines. Priority to child support (6.6) Section 15.3 applies, with any necessary modifications, when a court is considering an application under paragraph (1)(a) in respect of a child support order and an application under that paragraph in respect of a spousal support order. Objectives of variation order varying spousal support order (7) A variation order varying a spousal support order should (a) recognize any economic advantages or disadvantages to the former spouses arising from the marriage or its breakdown; (b) apportion between the former spouses any financial consequences arising from the care of any child of the marriage over and above any obligation for the support of any child of the marriage; (c) relieve any economic hardship of the former spouses arising from the breakdown of the marriage; and (d) in so far as practicable, promote the economic self-sufficiency of each former spouse within a reasonable period of time. (8) [Repealed, 1997, c. 1, s. 5] (9) [Repealed, 2019, c. 16, s. 13] Limitation (10) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where a spousal support order provides for support for a definite period or until a specified event occurs, a court may not, on an application instituted after the expiration of that period or the occurrence of the event, make a variation order for the purpose of resuming that support unless the court is satisfied that (a) a variation order is necessary to relieve economic hardship arising from a change described in subsection (4.1) that is related to the marriage; and (b) the changed circumstances, had they existed at the time of the making of the spousal support order or the last variation order made in respect of that order, as the case may be, would likely have resulted in a different order. Copy of order (11) Where a court makes a variation order in respect of a support order, parenting order or contact order made by another court, it shall send a copy of the variation order, certified by a judge or officer of the court, to that other court. R.S., 1985, c. 3 (2nd Supp.), s. 17; 1997, c. 1, s. 5; 2007, c. 14, s. 1 2019, c. 16, s. 13