About the Nova Scotia Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP)

Changes to the Maintenance Enforcement Act proclaimed October 17, 2017 broaden the circumstances under which information can be demanded by the Director (s.31). Amendments to s.32 also expand the list of situations under which confidential information held by the MEP may be disclosed, e.g. for the purpose of an audit, for assessing liability, for research purposes, or to other government departments such as the Department of Community Services, for the administration of its legislated programs. Amendments to s.32 also authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations authorizing disclosure of MEP file information in circumstances other than those specifically enumerated in subsection 32(1) of the Act, such as to professional organizations.

The Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) is a free service that helps you pay or receive court-ordered maintenance payments. These payments could be for child or spousal support.

How the program works:

• The person who has to pay maintenance (the payor) sends the money to us.
• We then send the money to the person who is supposed to receive the maintenance (the recipient).

You do not have to enrol in MEP, but there are good reasons to do so:

1. We keep an accurate record of all payments made and received.
2. We protect your personal information.
3. We act as a buffer between payors and recipients.
4. We work with the MEPs in other provinces if the payor or recipient live outside Nova Scotia.
5. We can take enforcement action if payments are not made. No one other than MEP can enforce an order to pay maintenance.