Since January 2, 2026, separating families in Alberta generally can’t get a judge in the Court of King’s Bench to decide most family issues until they have met four requirements. One of them is attempting a dispute resolution process, such as mediation, within the six months before their materials go to the court.
Plenty of guides explain the rules. This one answers the questions families bring to a mediator: what the dispute resolution requirement actually asks of you, what a mediation session covers, what you leave with, and how to prepare so the process genuinely helps rather than just ticking a box.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your specific situation, speak with an Alberta family lawyer.
The Family Focused Protocol in brief
The Family Focused Protocol (FFP) is a set of court processes introduced by the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta. It applies to family and divorce proceedings at every King’s Bench courthouse in the province, including Calgary. Its purpose is to move families toward resolution earlier, instead of into long, expensive court battles.
The FFP applies to family matters in the Court of King’s Bench. It does not apply to family matters in the Alberta Court of Justice. If you are unsure which court your matter belongs in, the Family Resolution Hub is a good starting point.
Before the court will generally accept your intake materials, four mandatory requirements must be met, unless they are waived or deferred, or your matter is urgent:
- Parenting After Separation (PAS) course. Required if you are asking the court to decide parenting issues. It must be completed within the last two years, and it is free and online.
- Dispute resolution within the last six months on the issues you disagree about. This is where mediation comes in.
- Full financial disclosure between both parties.
- A Family Court Counsellor meeting, for people without a lawyer.
The rest of this guide focuses on requirement #2.
What the dispute resolution requirement actually asks of you
The court is not requiring you to reach an agreement. It is requiring a genuine attempt to resolve the issues in dispute outside the courtroom. That attempt needs to be on the issues you actually disagree about, whether parenting time, decision-making responsibility, child or spousal support, or property, and it needs to fall within the six-month window.
Mediation is the most common route. Other processes can include collaborative law, arbitration and parenting coordination. Confirm with your lawyer or the court which process fits your matter.
Many families find that mediation does far more than satisfy a requirement. Everything you settle in mediation is one less issue a judge decides for you, and a judge will never know your children the way you do.
What a mediation session under the FFP covers
Every mediator works a little differently. In general, the process includes:
- Separate intake conversations. Each person meets the mediator individually first. This is where the mediator screens for safety concerns and learns what matters most to each person.
- An agreed list of issues. Together, you identify exactly what needs to be decided, so sessions stay focused.
- Working through each issue. Parenting schedules, holidays, decision-making, support and property, one at a time, with the mediator keeping the conversation balanced.
- Reviewing financial information. Mediation works best when both people are looking at the same numbers.
What you leave with
When you file under the FFP, proof that you have met the mandatory requirements must go in with your intake package. If it is missing or incomplete, the materials are not accepted and your file does not move. Families should know before they start what documentation their mediator will provide a summary of agreements reached.
Ask your lawyer, or the Family Court Counsellor if you are self-represented, what form of proof your intake package needs, so there are no surprises when you file.
How to prepare so mediation actually works
Mediation goes faster, and costs less, when you arrive prepared:
- Start your financial disclosure now. Gather tax returns, pay stubs, bank and investment statements, pension statements and debt records. Disclosure is often where the most delay happens.
- Complete the PAS course early if parenting is in dispute.
- Write down your top three concerns, and what you think the other person’s top three concerns are.
- Map your children’s weekly routine: school, activities and handoff times.
- Don’t leave it too late. The six-month window is much easier to meet when you aren’t rushing to a filing deadline.
- Plan for independent legal advice before signing any final agreement. A mediator is neutral and cannot advise either side.
Exceptions: urgent matters, safety concerns and waivers
The FFP is not meant to force anyone into an unsafe situation.
- Urgent matters have their own expedited process.
- Waivers and deferrals. If a requirement isn’t appropriate for your situation, you can apply to have it waived or deferred. The court has specific forms for this.
- Family violence. Where there are safety concerns, mediation may not be appropriate, and a responsible mediator screens for this before starting. For information about safety supports, call the Court and Justice Services Contact Centre at 1-855-738-4747.
Court-supported options or a private mediator?
Families have more than one route to meet the requirement:
- Resolution Counsel. The court offers a virtual, court-supported negotiation process for parties who meet its eligibility criteria.
- Alberta’s free family mediation program, for families who meet its eligibility criteria.
- A private mediator, chosen and paid for by the parties.
Many families choose a private mediator because they don’t meet the eligibility criteria, or because they want flexible scheduling (including evenings or online sessions), the same mediator throughout, help with issues beyond parenting, or a mediator who understands their cultural, faith or language background.
How Dr. Wes Thiessen helps Calgary families
Dr. Wes Thiessen is a mediator trained through the ADR Institute of Alberta (affiliated with the ADR Institute of Canada), Family Mediation Canada, and National Family Law Arbitration Canada. He works with separating couples and co-parents across Calgary and nearby communities, including Okotoks, Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere and High River, in person or online.
His approach is built on the idea behind the practice’s name: understanding the other person’s perspective, even when you disagree. He works with families from many cultural and faith backgrounds, and speaks English and Arabic, with a good command of French.
Learn more about his divorce mediation and separation mediation services. If you have children, see co-parenting mediation in Calgary.
If you’re facing the FFP requirements and want a structured, respectful way to work through them, book a consultation with Dr. Wes or call 403-708-9807.
Also worth reading: What If One Spouse Refuses to Cooperate in Mediation?