Amicable Divorce in Quebec
Mediation, Steps and Costs
Reviewed by Me Estelle Lizotte, family lawyer and accredited family mediator | Updated August 2026
You want an amicable divorce, but you are not exactly sure where to start.
You may already agree on several issues. Or there may still be matters to discuss, such as the family home, division of property, debts, support payments or family and parenting arrangements.
In either case, you do not need to have a complete agreement prepared before asking for help.
Whether or not you have dependent children together, family mediation allows you to address the different issues that need to be resolved in order to move toward an amicable divorce in Quebec.
Me Estelle Lizotte, a family lawyer and accredited family mediator, supports you from the very first meeting to identify the issues that need to be discussed and build a clear, realistic agreement that reflects your situation.
You therefore do not have to determine, on your own and before the first meeting, every issue that will need to be resolved.
Up to 5 hours of free family mediation depending on your situation
The Quebec government’s Family Mediation Program may cover part of your mediation sessions with an accredited family mediator.
What Is an Amicable Divorce?
An amicable divorce allows both spouses to work together to resolve the different aspects of their separation without asking a judge to decide their disagreements at trial.
You do not need to agree on everything before seeking help.
As both a family lawyer and an accredited family mediator, Me Estelle Lizotte can help you clarify the issues, work toward an agreement and organize the entire legal process for a divorce.
Once an agreement has been reached on the matters that apply to your situation, Me Estelle Lizotte can also handle the preparation of the joint application for divorce and the other required proceedings.
You therefore do not have to prepare the legal proceedings yourselves or find another professional after mediation. Support can continue from the first meeting through the steps leading to the divorce judgment.
Depending on your situation, the agreement may address :
- Parenting time, formerly referred to as child custody
- Decision-making responsibilities
- Child support and the sharing of certain child-related expenses
- The division of the family patrimony and other aspects of property division, including the family residence, certain secondary residences, vehicles, furniture, retirement plans and rights accumulated during the marriage
- The matrimonial regime
- Other property acquired together
- Debts
- The division of the value of certain property
- Possible spousal support between former spouses
Me Estelle Lizotte often explains it to her clients this way :
“An amicable divorce does not mean that everything has to be settled already. Tell me about your situation, we work toward an agreement together, and then I take care of the procedures required to apply for the divorce judgment.”
Do we have to agree on everything before mediation for an amicable divorce?
No.
You can book an appointment even if some issues have not yet been discussed or if you only agree on the main points.
The purpose of the first meeting is precisely to understand your situation, review the decisions you have already made and determine which issues still need to be discussed.
You can therefore begin mediation even if :
- Certain issues still need to be clarified
- You do not yet know what to do with the family home
- Financial matters need to be reviewed
- You are considering different options
- Some arrangements involving the children still need to be worked out
- You do not know which documents will be required
These issues do not need to be resolved before contacting Médiation ProSolution.
Me Estelle Lizotte helps you address them in an order that makes sense for your situation.
How to get an amicable divorce in Quebec?
The process varies depending on your situation but the support offered by Médiation ProSolution can generally be divided into three steps
1. Opening your file
The necessary information is collected to understand your situation and determine which documents need to be provided to prepare for the meetings.
2. The mediation meeting or meetings
Me Estelle Lizotte facilitates neutral and structured discussions so that, one issue at a time, you can address matters involving the children, division of property, debts, family patrimony or support payments.
Depending on your situation and the number of issues to resolve, one or more meetings may be required. In many cases, a single meeting may be enough.
3. Preparing your agreements and legal proceedings
Once the decisions have been made, Me Estelle Lizotte prepares a clear and complete agreement reflecting the solutions reached during mediation.
Depending on the mandate selected, she can also prepare the joint proceedings and legal documents required for the divorce application, arrange the sworn signing appointment and ensure that the file is submitted to the courthouse.
How much does an amicable divorce cost in Quebec?
Once you have reached a complete agreement through family mediation, Médiation ProSolution offers fixed-fee packages for completing the amicable divorce proceedings :
These packages apply once a complete agreement has been reached through family mediation.
They include the preparation of the legal proceedings, the signing appointment and the steps required to obtain the divorce judgment.
The court filing fee required to file the proceedings is added to the package price.
What issues can be discussed during family mediation?
The issues vary depending on your situation.
Financial responsibilities between spouses, the division of assets, the division of the family patrimony and the matrimonial regime may all form part of the discussions.
When there are children, decisions involving them are added to the matters that need to be resolved.
Amicable divorce without children :
What issues need to be resolved?
Family mediation is not only for parents.
For couples without children or without dependent children together, meetings may address:
- Financial responsibilities between spouses
- The family patrimony
- The matrimonial regime
- Property and debts, including the division of debts where applicable
- Possible spousal support between former spouses
Me Estelle Lizotte helps you identify the decisions that need to be made and clearly incorporate each element into your agreement.
Amicable divorce with children :
What issues need to be resolved?
The financial and property-related matters that apply to the couple must also be addressed. These may be joined by issues such as :
- Parenting time, sometimes referred to as child custody
- Decision-making responsibilities
- Vacations and special occasions
- Transportation
- Certain child-related expenses
- Child support
You do not need to have made all of these decisions before the first meeting.
Me Estelle Lizotte guides you through the available options and helps you build an agreement that reflects your family’s reality.
What documents should you prepare for family mediation?
Family mediation generally requires fewer documents and formalities than court proceedings.
After your file is opened, Me Estelle Lizotte tells you exactly which documents are required based on the issues that need to be resolved.
In all cases, certain basic documents will be requested
- Marriage certificate
- Birth certificate for each spouse
- Marriage contract, if applicable
If you have children, the following documents will also be requested
- Proof of income for each parent
- Birth certificate for each child
If one of the parents receives social assistance, specific rules may apply to child support and its impact on benefits.
Read our guide on social assistance and child support in Quebec to better understand these situations.
Documents are requested at the appropriate time to keep the process simple and avoid unnecessarily preparing documents that do not apply to your situation.
What is the role of family mediation in an amicable divorce?
Family mediation, including divorce mediation, allows you to discuss the consequences of the separation and work toward an agreement before preparing the legal proceedings required for the divorce.
Me Estelle Lizotte has dual expertise : she is both a family lawyer and an accredited family mediator.
She can therefore support you during family mediation and, depending on the mandate selected, prepare the agreement and the legal proceedings required for your amicable divorce.
This continuity helps limit the number of professionals involved and provides consistent support throughout the process.
Can you get an amicable divorce without a lawyer?
It may be possible in certain situations.
However, the required steps and documents can become complex.
Thanks to her dual expertise in family law and family mediation, Me Estelle Lizotte can support you from beginning to end: facilitate the mediation, prepare your agreement and prepare the joint proceedings required to apply for the divorce judgment.
You therefore do not have to understand the forms, procedural requirements or every step of the process on your own.
What other costs can apply to an amicable divorce in Quebec?
The cost of an amicable divorce varies depending on your situation, the number of mediation hours required and the proceedings that need to be prepared.
Depending on your eligibility, some family mediation hours may be covered by the government program, while additional fees may apply for preparing the agreement or completing the steps required to obtain the divorce judgment.
To learn more about the costs you can expect and what may be covered, read our detailed guide on the cost of divorce in Quebec.
Why choose online family mediation?
Médiation ProSolution offers videoconference meetings throughout Quebec.
Online family mediation can be particularly convenient when :
- You live in different cities
- One person has moved
- Your schedules are difficult to coordinate
- You have young children
- You want to avoid travelling
- You prefer to participate from a familiar environment
Médiation ProSolution supports couples and families throughout Quebec, including in:
Why choose Médiation ProSolution?
With Me Estelle Lizotte, a family lawyer and accredited family mediator, you receive clear, compassionate and structured support throughout your amicable divorce.
You do not have to understand the entire process on your own or prepare your complete file before seeking help.
Me Estelle Lizotte guides you through each step according to the needs of your situation.
Médiation ProSolution can help you :
FAQ
Yes.
Family mediation is also available to couples without children or without dependent children together.
With Me Estelle Lizotte, a family lawyer and accredited family mediator, meetings can help resolve matters such as:
- The family patrimony
- The matrimonial regime
- Property and debts
- Possible spousal support between former spouses
Eligible couples may receive up to three hours of free family mediation under the government program.
Call Médiation ProSolution at 450-522-7952 to verify your eligibility and book an appointment with Me Estelle Lizotte.
Yes.
Even when you already agree on the main points, certain details need to be clarified to avoid omissions, misunderstandings or difficulties when preparing the documents.
With Me Estelle Lizotte, you can :
- Make sure all important issues have been addressed
- Clarify the terms of your agreement
- Organize the necessary information and documents
- Have a clear agreement prepared
- Depending on the service selected, prepare the joint proceedings required to apply for your divorce judgment
When the decisions have already been made and the situation allows, the process may sometimes be completed in a single meeting.
Call Médiation ProSolution at 450-522-7952 to explain your situation and book an appointment with Me Estelle Lizotte.
Yes.
Parents can work toward an agreement concerning :
- Parenting time, sometimes referred to as child custody
- Decision-making responsibilities
- Vacations and special occasions
- Transportation
- Certain child-related expenses
- Child support
You do not have to prepare all of these arrangements before the first meeting.
Me Estelle Lizotte helps you review the issues that apply to your situation and build an agreement suited to your family’s needs.
A divorce judgment, or divorce order, must be issued by the Superior Court, but this does not necessarily mean that the former spouses will have to appear before a judge.
In many joint divorce files accompanied by the required documents, no court appearance is necessary.
With Médiation ProSolution, Me Estelle Lizotte can help you reach your agreement, prepare the joint application and assemble the documents required for the file.
Call Médiation ProSolution at 450-522-7952 to learn about the support available for your situation.
A family mediator can help you discuss the issues that need to be resolved and reach a written agreement concerning matters such as the children, debts, division of the value of property, partition of assets and division of the family patrimony.
Because she is both an accredited family mediator and a family lawyer, Me Estelle Lizotte can also prepare your agreement, prepare a complete application and organize the documents required for the amicable divorce process.
This can simplify the process and, when the situation allows, avoid involving multiple professionals and incurring multiple lawyers’ fees.
The Quebec Ministry of Justice also provides the public with general information about family mediation, divorce law and the divorce process.
Médiation ProSolution offers family mediation meetings by videoconference throughout Quebec, including Montreal, Laval, Gatineau, Sherbrooke, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Lévis and Saint-Georges.
Meetings are confidential and structured, regardless of where you live.
For help with an amicable divorce in Quebec, you can contact Me Estelle Lizotte, a family lawyer and accredited family mediator at Médiation ProSolution.
She can assist you with family mediation, the preparation of your agreement and, depending on the mandate selected, the preparation of the joint proceedings required for the divorce application.
Médiation ProSolution also offers online divorce services.
To verify your eligibility for free mediation hours or book an appointment, call Médiation ProSolution at 450-522-7952.
Official sources :
The general legal information presented in this article was notably verified using the following resources:
- Government of Quebec — Duration and cost of family mediation;
- Government of Quebec — Mediation for couples without children or without dependent children together;
- Government of Quebec — Requirements for filing a joint application for an amicable divorce;
- Government of Quebec — Preparing a joint application for divorce;
- Government of Canada — Divorce Act.
This article provides general legal information. It is not a substitute for legal advice tailored to your personal situation.
A divorce procedure can involve several steps, from mediation to preparing the divorce application and the documents required to obtain a judgment.
Depending on the situation, certain matters may also need to be clarified, such as spousal support, the grounds for divorce or the difference between divorce and separation from bed and board.
Even when an amicable agreement has been reached, certain steps may still form part of a court process.
Médiation ProSolution also offers services by videoconference throughout Quebec to simplify support and the preparation of the file.