Separation occurs when a couple, married or common-law, no longer lives together as a couple. You do not have to see a lawyer, go to court, or have a ‘legal separation’ to be legally separated. You do not need the consent of your spouse or partner to start living separately. You are considered legally separated as soon as you and your spouse/partner start living ‘separate and apart’ from each other with the intention of separating.
Divorce is the legal end of a marriage. It does not end all of the obligations between spouses. It simply ends the legal relationship that was created when two people were married. There is more information about divorce here.