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(CHARLOTTE HELSTON - REPORTER / iNFOnews.ca)

A BC senior, who wasn't working when she met her multi-millionaire partner 20 years ago, says she needs a minimum of $40,000 a month to get by.

While Catherine Elizabeth Spanevello made roughly $44,500 a year recently, her partner Douglas Brian Johnson had been taking home $8-million.

Now the couple have separated a BC Judge will decide how much spousal support Johnson should have to pay.

In a Nov. 13 BC Supreme Court decision, Spanevello who's 69, argued that based on Johnson's income she should be getting $153,000 per month.

However, she accepted that she could live "conservatively" on $40,000 a month.

On the other hand, her 72-year-old former partner argued $20,000 a month was more appropriate.

Spanevello claimed Johnson is worth $61-million and she will get between $8-million and $36-million when the matter is finally settled following a three week trial scheduled for next year.

In the meantime, while the court proceedings are ticking along, Spanevello argued she should continue to live the same lifestyle as before they separated.

"That lifestyle was luxurious, involving extensive travels, the use of recreational properties in BC, Mexico, and elsewhere, memberships at the Vancouver Club and to a private box at Rogers Arena, and the hosting of lavish parties and events for friends and family," BC Supreme Court Justice Kevin Loo said in the decision. "The parties enjoyed eating out at gourmet restaurants and either owned or leased multiple luxury vehicles." 

The decision said Johnson owns Canfund Properties and a large share of Pathfinder Asset Management, a wealth management company for the wealthy.

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The couple met in 2002 and at the time Spanevello had never worked out of the home.

Twenty years later the couple separated in 2022 and Spanevello currently lives in their $8-million home. They had no children together.

Along with arguing for $40,000 a month to tide her over until the separation is finalized Spanevello also wanted $690,000 from her ex-partner to cover her legal fees.

Johnson argued $690,000 was excessive and as Spanevello took $330,000 from their joint account she should use that money to pay her lawyers.

The court document said the couple spent on average about $500,000 a year when they were together, which is roughly $42,000 a month.

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Johnson argued some of Spanevello's budgeting included one-off expenses such as house repairs, buying furniture and upgrading vehicles. He argued this shouldn't be included in her monthly expenditure. He also questioned why her clothing budget had substantially increased “without explanation.”

The decision said Johnson paid Spanevello more than $200,000 between November 2022 and May 2024, which is about $12,000 a month.

However, this was less then Spanevello wanted and she argued the Justice's decision should be back-dated to when they separated in 2022.

Ultimately, Justice Loo ruled that $440,000 would be an appropriate amount for Spanevello to spend on the litigation and that $30,000 a month was fair for monthly expenses. The Justice ordered Johnson to hand over the cash and backdate the monthly payments to May this year, when Spanevello made her court filing.

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