Once I have received confirmation from both parties that they are ready to proceed with mediation I would set up a mediation file and send out an Agreement to Mediate for their signature.   

I start by scheduling individual meetings with each side; these meetings are usually scheduled within 7-14 days.  The individual meetings are designed to get to know the situation and answer any questions.  Common areas that need to be discussed are children, support and division of property, but there can be other topics as well. The meeting together would be scheduled after the individual meetings; after each meeting with all parties I send out a summary of the discussion.

I ask for a 5 hour retainer upfront, which usually covers the individual meetings, our first meeting together, and the summary I prepare after that meeting. All the meetings will be virtual, through WebEx, and I send out invites as meetings get scheduled.  My rate is $200/hour beginning Jan 1 2026,  so the full retainer is $1000 plus GST. Many clients split this cost, but sometimes they decide to share it differently.  I ask clients to make a plan to cover the retainer, and I invoice according to their instructions.  Payment can be made via credit card or e-transfer. Once the 5 hours are used, I bill according to the time applied to the file.  It can take more than one meeting to work through the topics; the number of sessions depends on how much needs to be decided, and the difficulty of the decisions.

Yes, Anita Ehman can provide the King's Bench Act "Certificate of Participation in Family Dispute Resolution" for clients after they have utilized the mediation process.