A recent court ruling in British Columbia has ordered a Kelowna man to pay his former partner over $5 million, highlighting that love is not a mandatory aspect of a relationship resembling marriage.
In a decision made public this week, 67-year-old Thomas Budd, a well-known philanthropist and retired investment banker, cohabited with 38-year-old massage therapist Kaitlynn Fleury from February 2019 to August 2021. Despite Budd’s assertion that their relationship did not meet the criteria of a spousal partnership, citing Fleury’s alleged lack of romantic feelings towards him, the judge determined otherwise.
The ruling emphasized that while many couples in marriages or marriage-like relationships are driven by romantic love, it is not a prerequisite for legal recognition as a spouse under the Family Law Act. The judge also refuted Budd’s claim that the duration of their relationship fell short of being considered as marriage-like, stating that it exceeded the stipulated two-year cohabitation period outlined in B.C. legislation.
Consequently, Justice J. Hughes ruled in favor of Fleury, awarding her half of the rise in value of Budd’s relevant assets, amounting to over $5.1 million. Despite additional allegations made by Fleury regarding assault and emotional abuse, the court dismissed these claims.