The Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO) is a federally-incorporated not-for-profit that provides certifications, networking and advocacy for Ontario family mediators, family arbitrators, parenting coordinators, financial professionals, coaches and others. 

FDRIO actively supports those entering and working in the family dispute resolution profession while increasing public awareness about the many out-of-court choices they have.
FDRIO operates across Ontario with its headquarters in Toronto. 

FDRIO sets standards for training and internship for family mediators, family arbitrators and parenting coordinators. Many of our members have earned our professional designations.

Our FDRP Med members benefit from its approval by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General for court-connected family mediation. It is also the designation of choice for many family lawyers and mental health professionals seeking accreditation for private practice. 

Our FDRP Arb is Ontario’s leading family arbitration designation, attracting many professionals seeking to offer private family arbitration services.

Our FDRP PC members hold Canada’s only professional accreditation for parenting coordinators.  

We have a large student membership— those in the process of earning their FDRP designations and seeking mentors, colleagues and opportunity. 

Our members also include many who just want to belong to FDRIO without seeking a certification. Our networking events include members from the financial industry, such as Certified Business Valuators, Divorce Coaches, Certified Financial Planners, and more.

DRIO has an elected Board of Directors (13) that meets monthly. The Executive Committee (Chair, Vice-Chair(s), Past Chair, Finance Chair, Secretary and at least one member-at-large) meets monthly as well. Volunteer committees, which report to the board, do the work of FDRIO: member benefits; certifications; complaints; training; advocacy; website/marketing; newsletter, operations; conference; unconference and FDRweek.

FDRIO also has active volunteer-led sections: family mediation, family arbitration and parenting coordination, as well as finance, elder/estates and a family violence sections which meet from time to time to develop policies and initiatives and share fellowship.

(a) Our Sections develop standards of practice, training and certification for as many FDR processes as is feasible and practical. We have created a comprehensive set of Standards of Practice including Guidelines for Screening for Power Imbalances and Domestic Violence, for the benefit of our members and the public. The Sections work together to harmonize the process for certification to simplify training and certification processes for all FDR professionals.

(b) We focus on finding and offering opportunities and benefits to our members. Our commitment is to provide meaningful designations, professional guidance, training, effective business networking opportunities and professional liability insurance, along with a top notch annual conference and FDRweek.

(c) FDRIO is committed to growing the FDR field, for the benefit of our membership and the pubic. We believe that high quality FDR services offer some solutions to the challenges many face in accessing affordable family law help.

(d) We seek to work with other FDR organizations to share resources, collaborate on issues of training, harmonize standards and offer reciprocal recognition of certification. We seek to co-sponsor events with other ADR organizations to the benefit of our mutual membership.

(c) FDRIO provides information and education to the public to enhance public awareness of the many FDR process options available and the differences among them through events such as Family Dispute Resolution Week. One of FDRIO’s goals is to promote and normalize for the public what are currently known as “alternative” dispute resolution processes, so that these FDR processes become the standard for appropriate cases, with litigation being the “alternative” for those cases requiring judicial intervention and oversight.

(e) FDRIO will provide effective and powerful advocacy for the interests of our members, and for all FDR processes, whenever possible.