What are some cases in which unequal contribution to family expenses and burdens made it significantly unfair to divide family property equally?

British Columbia, Canada


The following excerpt is from Lupien v LeBlanc, 2019 BCSC 431 (CanLII):

Cases in which unequal contribution to family expenses and burdens were found to make it significantly unfair to divide family property equally have involved marked, prolonged, and intentional or unexplained disparities in contribution to family burdens: Nanara v. Nanara, 2017 BCSC 1447. In Nanara, the trial judge awarded 60% of the family property to the claimant wife based on the respondent husband’s unequal contribution. Throughout the 33-year marriage with three children, the wife worked multiple full-time, low-paying jobs, often working 16-hour days. After separation, she maintained both family residences and continued to support one son. In contrast, the husband was continually underemployed throughout the relationship without explanation, made no contributions to the residences after separation, and did not support the children.

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