Off-Site Mediation Services

The Family Mediation Centre

Provides Off-Site Mediation for participants who reside in one of our court regions, we serve (London, Chatham, Windsor, Owen Sound, Sarnia, Stratford, Goderich, Woodstock, Walkerton and St. Thomas). Off-site mediation is available for anyone who wishes to try mediation, whether they have started a court case or not.

Our Off-Site certified OAFM Mediators include mental health professionals and lawyers that can assist you to mediate family issues, including parental decision making, parenting time, parenting plans, extended family access, child support, spousal support, property valuation and property division. Meditation services are available in-person and remote via technology for all locations.

Off-Site Mediation is Subsidized

The Government of Ontario assists residents by subsidizing the fees for Off-Site Mediation based on income. Off-site mediation is intended for mediations that will take between 2-8 hours.

Prior to commencing mediation, both parties are required to complete the Mediation Information Form and meet individually with the mediator for an intake assessment to ensure that mediation is appropriate at this time.

Once both parties have met with the mediator for an intake, they will meet for a joint session with the mediator and complete Off-Site Mediation Agreements.

The mediator serves as an impartial third party who facilitates the negotiation between both parties.

Confidentiality is of the Utmost Importance

There are two types of Off-Site mediation: Closed and Open, which affect the confidentiality of the mediation.

Closed Mediation is designed to only disclose to the court or arbitration proceedings what the parties have agreed upon. At the completion of mediation, the mediator writes a “mediation report” containing only the points agreed upon and is not signed by the partie.

Options for what to do with the report are discussed with the parties—some of these options may include having the mediation report made into a court order or separation agreement.

Open Mediation

Open mediation means that anyone – you, your partner, and your mediator – can give evidence in court about what happened during your mediation. All documents can also be shared.

During these challenging times, we are also available to our clients for off-site mediation. To commence the off-site mediation process, please complete the Mediation Information Form and a member of our roster will be in contact with you to complete an intake assessment to ensure that mediation is appropriate at this time.