Poly families are families in which there are more than two adults in a conjugal relationship with each other.
Poly families are not recognized under B.C. law. So the rights and responsibilities of the adults in a poly family in relation to each other would be determined by considering each pair in a trupple (3 person poly family) in turn. And unless a pair is either married to each other, or has lived with the other(s) for more than two years, they have neither rights nor responsibilities to each other if they break up.
The rights of children whose parents entered into poly relationships after they have children would be governed by the laws relating to stepparents.
If a poly family decided to have a child together, they may all be entitled to be parents of that child. A Newfoundland and Labrador judgement held that in that situation, the child has a right to have all of their parents named as parents. The same reasoning would apply in B.C. However a court application would be required.
The most sensible thing for a poly family who live together is to make a written agreement about what would happen if they break up, specifying who would get what in terms of the property owned by the members of the family, and whether they would pay each other spousal or child support if the family broke down. Our office is experienced in such agreements.
Polygamous families - families in which an individual marries more than one person - are illegal in Canada. See the judgement in the Court of Appeal of BC.
Poly families are not recognized under B.C. law. So the rights and responsibilities of the adults in a poly family in relation to each other would be determined by considering each pair in a trupple (3 person poly family) in turn. And unless a pair is either married to each other, or has lived with the other(s) for more than two years, they have neither rights nor responsibilities to each other if they break up.
The rights of children whose parents entered into poly relationships after they have children would be governed by the laws relating to stepparents.
If a poly family decided to have a child together, they may all be entitled to be parents of that child. A Newfoundland and Labrador judgement held that in that situation, the child has a right to have all of their parents named as parents. The same reasoning would apply in B.C. However a court application would be required.
The most sensible thing for a poly family who live together is to make a written agreement about what would happen if they break up, specifying who would get what in terms of the property owned by the members of the family, and whether they would pay each other spousal or child support if the family broke down. Our office is experienced in such agreements.
Polygamous families - families in which an individual marries more than one person - are illegal in Canada. See the judgement in the Court of Appeal of BC.
