According to the family law of Ont, the spouse can be defined as either of a man or woman not being married to each otehr who have cohabited continuously for a period of not less than three years, or less than that , but having children.
common law spouses have the obliagtion of support each other and can claim tax as if they are married. However they are different from those are married couples. they are not entitled to share the assets which are gathered during the marriage. that means, if you split, his is his and yours is yours. Many guys think that common law couples are almost the same like the mariied ones, and that is not true. There is a big difference. And common law relationship can not give you the legal protection as the married women. So if you are serious with a man, you'd better marry him.