De facto spouse
De facto spouse
A person who, at a given time:
- was living in a conjugal relationship with an individual and was the biological or adoptive mother or father (legally or in fact) of a child of whom the individual was also the parent; or
- had been living in a conjugal relationship with an individual for at least 12 consecutive months (the 12-month period is considered to have been uninterrupted if the persons were separated for a period of less than 90 days).
Note that a de facto spouse is considered to be the deceased person's surviving spouse only if the two were living in a conjugal relationship immediately before the death.
Section 2.2.1 (2nd par.)