A landmark decision from a Quebec Superior Court judge is reshaping family law in the province. The ruling mandates the revision of provincial laws within the next year to officially recognize children with more than two parents.

This significant change follows a lawsuit initiated by La Coalition des familles LGBT+ and three families with multiple parents. These families argued that current legislation, limiting legal parenthood to two individuals, is discriminatory and violates fundamental rights, including security of the person, integrity of the person, freedom, dignity, and privacy.

The central issue revolved around the legal concept of filiation – the rules defining a child’s relationship to their parents. The court’s decision challenges the traditional definition and paves the way for a more inclusive legal framework encompassing diverse family structures.

This ruling marks a major step towards legal recognition and protection for families with multiple parents in Quebec, aligning the province’s laws with evolving societal norms and conceptions of family.