Maintenance Enforcement Program

The Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) is authorized by the Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Act to ensure that individuals meet their obligations to pay spousal and child support under the terms of their court orders and certain agreements. Once an order or agreement has been registered with MEP, maintenance payments that the debtor (payor) would normally pay directly to the creditor (recipient) are sent to MEP. MEP then forwards the payment to the creditor once the funds have cleared through a trust account.

In cases of default (non-payment) by the debtor, MEP has the legislative authority to take steps to enforce the support owed. These enforcement tools include registrations at Land Titles and the Personal Property Registry, wage, non-wage and federal support deduction notices, federal licence (passport) denials, motor vehicle restrictions and driver's licence suspensions. MEP also has access to a variety of databases to assist in locating a debtor or a debtor's assets or income.

There are approximately 100,000 creditors and debtors and more than 61,000 children registered with MEP.

Clients can contact MEP by calling 780-422-5555 in Edmonton or calling 310-0000 for toll-free access from anywhere in Alberta. Clients should have their seven digit MEP account number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) available when using the Internet service or calling.

See also:

Important changes
Mission
MEP's responsibilities

New Interest Rate

Please be advised that, as of January 1, 2012, the Judgment Interest Act rate has been changed to 1.2%.

New Assisted Call Back Feature

MEP is pleased to provide clients with a new enhancement to the Client Services Centre. When you call in to MEP, you may now choose to remain holding in queue for a Client Services Representative, you may choose to receive an immediate callback based on your position in queue or you can schedule a callback.

Child Support Recalculation Program

The new Child Support Recalculation Program is now accepting registrations! The Recalculation Program (RP) recalculates child support in eligible court orders based on changes in the parents’ incomes.

For a yearly service fee of $75 per client, RP recalculates future monthly child support based on the Child Support Guidelines tables, as well as proportionate shares of expenses. Either a recipient or payor of child support can choose to register with RP. RP uses income tax information provided by clients to set the new child support amount, so there is no need for clients to go to court or a government office. Recalculations are done on a yearly schedule tied to the anniversary of when the court order was granted.

If both parents live in Alberta and your child support was based on the tables in the Child Support Guidelines, you may be eligible to register with this exciting new program. For more information visit www.recalculation.gov.ab.ca.

Maintenance Enforcement Program Newsletter – February 2010

MEP would like you to be aware of some important changes and information about the program.  The newsletter highlights the following topics:

• Child Support Recalculation Program
• January 4, 2010 Bank Error
• Driver's Licence Suspensions
• Making Payments
• Receiving Payments

MEP Newsletter - February 2010 - 31 KB  

2006 Client Survey

In June 2006, conducted a client survey of both creditors and debtors. The survey was intended to help us understand our clients better so we could improve client service and collections. Over 7,400 clients responded to the survey, which far exceeded our hopes for 4,000 replies.

We sincerely appreciated everyone who took the time to reply to the survey. Your honest input is helping plan for future initiatives and improvements in our existing services.

An analysis of the client survey data can be viewed at MEP Client Survey 2006 - 1.12 MB