"Saskatchewan Legislature" by colros is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The provincial government is introducing new measures aimed at collecting overdue child and spousal support payments.

A Government of Saskatchewan news release says proposed changes to provincial legislation would give the Maintenance Enforcement Office the ability to access funds held in Tax-Free Savings Accounts to recover unpaid support, while also allowing future investment products to be added for enforcement purposes.

The amendments would also allow the office to charge fees on delinquent accounts and for payments returned because of insufficient funds.

Justice Minister Tim McLeod says the changes are intended to strengthen enforcement and help ensure families receive the financial support they are owed.

The Maintenance Enforcement Office currently manages more than 7,000 active files and has collected over $33 million for children and families so far this year.

Existing enforcement measures include wage garnishments, bank account seizures, and suspensions of drivers’ licences and passports.