Glossary
Cohabitation Date
Cohabitation date is the day you and your partner started living together as a couple — with the intention to be in a committed relationship, not just as roommates.
In Ontario, the length of your relationship affects how long spousal support runs. For common-law couples, "relationship length" is measured from cohabitation. For married couples, it is measured from cohabitation or marriage, whichever was earlier. Real-life examples: you started dating in 2018, moved in together in 2020, married in 2022 — your cohabitation date is 2020. You shared an apartment with a roommate for two years before you started dating — cohabitation starts when the relationship started, not when you moved in. You and your spouse kept separate homes until 2023 even though you were married in 2022 — your cohabitation date is 2023. Get this right because it affects support duration directly.
Start your Ontario separation agreement
Use the calculator to estimate support or create a full guided agreement.