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}}The provincial ''[[Family Law Act]]'' defines "spouse" as including both ''married people'' and ''unmarried people''. To qualify as "spouses" under the act, unmarried people must have lived together in a "marriage-like relationship" for at least two years, or for less than two years if they have had a child together. Because the federal ''[[Divorce Act]]'' only applies to married spouses, all of the rules that apply to unmarried relationships are in the ''Family Law Act''.
This section talks about how people qualify as unmarried spouses, the consequences of being in — and leaving — a spousal relationship, and unmarried spouses' entitlement to government benefits. This section also talks about the legal issues involved when a relationship breaks down. The next section in this chapter talks about people who are [[Parents|parents]] but not spouses.
==Introduction==