In our province the Supreme Court has the ability to vary a will pursuant to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act. Spouses and children of the will-maker (formerly known as the testator or testatrix) are entitled to pursue a court action for a greater share of an estate.
Spouse is defined as a person who is married to the will-maker. For non-married persons this includes a person who lives with the will-maker in a marriage-like relationship, including a relationship between persons of the same gender, and has lived in that relationship for a period of at least two years.