PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Children and Family Development (the ministry) reconsideration decision dated July 29, 2014 which found that the appellant was not eligible for child care subsidy beginning July 1, 2014 because she does not have an eligible reason for needing child care, pursuant to Section 3 of the Child Care Subsidy Regulation (CCSR). PART D -Relevant Legislation Child Care Subsidy Act (CCSA), Section 4 Child Care Subsidy Regulation (CCSR), Section 3
P A R T E S u m m a r y o f F a c t s T h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r 1 ) L e t t e r d a t e d J u n e 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n r e c e i v e d t h e d a y c a r e s u b s i d y f o r h e r c h i l d ' s e x p i r i n g . S h e i s s t i l l w o r k i n g f u l l t i m e . H e r h s t u d y i n g b y h i m s e l f i n o r d e r t o g e t r e a d y f o r a p r a c t i c e h i s p r o f e s s i o n i n C a n a d a . H e r h u s b t a k e c a r e o f t h e i r c h i l d a n d s h e c a n n o t a f f o r d 2 ) L e t t e r d a t e d J u l y 9 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y t o c a r e s u b s i d y a s s h e d o e s n o t r e q u i r e c h i l d c a 3 ) I n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l e x a m , f e e o f $ 1 , 6 9 5 , a l i s t o f p r e p a r a t i o n r e s o u r c e s d a t e o f N o v e m b e r 8 , 2 0 1 4 ; a n d , 4 ) R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n R e a s o n s d a t e d I n h e r R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t w • S h e i s w o r k i n g f u l l t i m e b u t h e r h u s b a n d i s t r y i n C a n a d a . H e m u s t t a k e a n d p a s s s e v e r a l e p o s i t i o n . • H e h a s r e g i s t e r e d f o r t h e f i r s t e x a m , w h i c h i s h e h a d s t u d i e d o v e r 7 y e a r s . H e r h u s b a n d m o f t i m e . • I t i s v e r y c o m p e t i t i v e f o r a f e w a v a i l a b l e p o s i t m a r k s i n t h e e x a m s i n o r d e r t o h a v e m o r e c h • I t i s t r u e t h a t h e r h u s b a n d i s n o t a t t e n d i n g a n a t l e a s t 1 2 h o u r s e a c h d a y a n d h e c a n n o t t a k • S h e h a s n o r e l a t i v e s i n C a n a d a a n d t h e o n l y c a n n o t a f f o r d t o p a y d a y c a r e c o s t s . • A l t h o u g h h e r h u s b a n d r e g i s t e r e d t o w r i t e t h e p o s t p o n e i t t o J a n u a r y 2 0 1 4 ( s i c ) . S h e a t t a c h • S h e b e l i e v e s t h a t h e r s i t u a t i o n d o e s n o t m a t c s u b s i d y b u t s h e r e a l l y n e e d s c h i l d c a r e f o r t h l e g i s l a t i o n . I n h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d A u g u s t 6 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n a n d w r o t e t h a t , a s u b s i d i e s t o f a m i l i e s i s t h a t b o t h p a r e n t s d o n o t h a v e h e r s i t u a t i o n . H e r h u s b a n d i s s t u d y i n g t o u p g r a d e h c o n s i d e r e d a s a w a y o f j o b s e e k i n g w h i c h i s o n e o f t A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h u s b a n d s t a t e d t h a t : • H e c a m e t o C a n a d a i n 2 0 1 2 a n d w a s a p r o f e u p g r a d e h i s l i c e n s e i n o r d e r t o p r a c t i c e i n C a n • H i s w i f e i s w o r k i n g f u l l t i m e b u t d a y c a r e e x p e • F o r t h e f i r s t y e a r , h e t o o k c a r e o f t h e i r c h i l d a n c o u l d n o t d o i t a s h i s y o u n g c h i l d t o o k a l l o f h i • A f t e r t h e f i r s t v e a r , t h e y t o o k t h e i r c h i l d t o d a v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n i n c l u d e d : t t o t h e m i n i s t ry s t a t i n g i n p a r t t h a t s h e h a s d a y c a r e f o r t h e p a s t f e w m o n t h s , w h i c h i s u s b a n d i s v o l u n t e e r i n g a t a c a r e c e n t r e a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l e x a m i n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5 i n o r d e r t o a n d h a s t o s t u d y f u l l t i m e s o h e h a s n o t i m e t o t o p a y t h e d a y c a r e f e e s ; t h e a p p e l l a n t d e n y i n g h e r r e q u e s t f o r t h e c h i l d r e f o r a n y o f t h e e l i g i b l e r e a s o n s ; i n c l u d i n g c o n f i r m a t i o n o f p a y m e n t o f t h e e x a m a n d s u g g e s t e d r e f e r e n c e b o o k s , a n d a n e x a m J u l y 2 1 , 2 0 1 4 . r o t e t h a t : i n g t o u p g r a d e h i s p r o f e s s i o n a l c e r t i f i c a t e t o w o r k x a m s a s a p r e r e q u i s i t e b e f o r e a p p l y i n g f o r a a c o m p r e h e n s i v e e x a m c o v e r i n g a l l t h e s u b j e c t s u s t r e v i e w a l l t h e s e s u b j e c t s a n d t h i s t a k e s a l o t i o n s _ s o i t i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t h a t h e g e t s h i g h a n c e t o s u c c e e d i n t h i s p r o c e s s . y s c h o o l r i g h t n o w , b u t h e i s s t u d y i n g b y h i m s e l f e c a r e o f t h e i r c h i l d a t t h e s a m e t i m e . o p t i o n i s t o t a k e h e r c h i l d t o d a y c a r e b u t s h e f i r s t e x a m i n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 4 , h e i s g o i n g t o e d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e e x a m . h a n y o f t h e r e a s o n s f o r r e c e i v i n g c h i l d c a r e e d e s c r i b e d r e a s o n s , w h i c h i s n o t c o n s i d e r e d i n p e l l a n t e x p r e s s e d h e r d i s a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e c c o r d i n g t o t h e l e g i s l a t i o n , t h e r e a s o n f o r o f f e r i n g t i m e t o t a k e c a r e o f t h e i r c h i l d a n d t h i s w o r k s f o r i s l i c e n s e i n o r d e r t o f i n d a j o b , s o i t c o u l d b e h e r e a s o n s f o r r e c e i v i n g t h e s u b s i d y . s s i o n a l i n h i s c o u n t r y o f o r i g i n . H e n e e d s t o a d a . n s e s a r e h i g h . d s t u d i e d a t t h e s a m e t i m e b u t h e f o u n d t h a t h e s t i m e . c a r e a n d h e t o o k c o u r s e s t o i m p r o v e h i s E n a l i s h -
l a n g u a g e s k i l l s a n d h e w a s a l s o s e a r c h i n g f o o T h e y r e c e i v e d t h e c h i l d c a r e s u b s i d y f o r t h e i r 2 0 1 4 a n d t h e y d i d n o t r e c e i v e a s u b s i d y f o r t • S i n c e h e c o u l d n o t f i n d a j o b , h e d e c i d e d t o f • F o r t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e e x a m , h e n e e d s t o s t s t a r t e d , h e f e e l s h e d o e s n o t h a v e e n o u g h t i m a n d h e w i l l t r y t o p o s t p o n e i t t o J a n u a r y o r F e • H e i s n o t a t t e n d i n g a n y s c h o o l o r t r a i n i n g f o r s t u d y a n d t h e n h e w i l l w r i t e t h e e x a m s . H e i s s e s s i o n s t o a s s i s t w i t h s t u d y i n g f o r t h e e x a m e f f e c t i v e l y o n h i s o w n . • H e h a s n o t a p p r o a c h e d e m p l o y e r s a n d c a n n l i c e n s e t o p r a c t i c e i n C a n a d a . • H e a n t i c i p a t e s t h a t i t w i l l t a k e h i m 9 m o n t h s t p a s s e s i n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5 , h e w i l l h a v e t o s t u d y A f t e r t h e s e c o n d e x a m , h e w i l l n e e d t o s t u d y l a t e r . H e a l s o n e e d s t o t a k e a n E n g l i s h l a n g • T h e t i m i n g f o r t h e e x a m s m a y c h a n g e , d e p e n A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t : • H e r p a r e n t s d o n o t l i v e i n C a n a d a a n d s h e h a • S h e w o r k s f u l l t i m e i n a l o w i n c o m e f i e l d a l t h o c o u n t r y o f o r i g i n . T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o n i t s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n a s s t a t e d t h a t : • A n e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m i s a p r o g r a m g e n e r a l l y i n v o l v e s a c o u r s e o u t l i n e , c l a s s r o o m p a r t i c i p a n t s w i l l o f t e n e n t e r i n t o a n a g r e e m e n • F o r j o b s e a r c h i n g , t h e m i n i s t r y e x p e c t s t h a t t h t i m e s p e n t l o o k i n g f o r w o r k .r a j o b . c h i l d f o r t h e p e r i o d O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 t h r o u g h A p r i l h e m o n t h s o f M a y , J u n e o r J u l y 2 0 1 4 . o c u s f u l l t i m e o n h i s s t u d i e s . u d y a l l o f t h e s u b j e c t s a n d , a l t h o u g h h e h a s e t o p r e p a r e f o r t h e e x a m o n N o v e m b e r 8 , 2 0 1 4 b r u a r y o f 2 0 1 5 . w r i t i n g t h e e x a m a s h e i s d o i n g a p r o g r a m o f s e l f  a w a r e t h a t s o m e p r i v a t e o r g a n i z a t i o n s m a y o f f e r , b u t t h e s e h a v e a f e e a n d h e i s a b l e t o s t u d y a s o t w o r k i n h i s c h o s e n p r o f e s s i o n u n l e s s h e h a s a o p r e p a r e p r o p e r l y f o r t h e f i r s t e x a m a n d , i f h e a g a i n a n d t a k e t h e n e x t e x a m i n J u l y o f 2 0 1 5 . a g a i n a n d w r i t e t h e t h i r d e x a m a b o u t 6 m o n t h s u a g e p r o f i c i e n c y e x a m . d i n g o n h o w w e l l h e d o e s a t e a c h s t a g e . s n o o n e e l s e t o h e l p h e r w i t h h e r c h i l d . u g h s h e w a s a l s o a q u a l i f i e d p r o f e s s i o n a l i n h e r s u m m a r i z e d a t t h e h e a r i n g . T h e m i n i s t r y a l s o d e l i v e r e d s o m e t i m e s b y S e i v i c e C a n a d a w h i c h t i m e a n d m o n i t o r i n g b y a n i n s t r u c t o r . T h e t r e g a r d i n g t h e p r o g r a m e x p e c t a t i o n s . e r e w i l l b e a r e c o r d o f t h e e f f o r t s m a d e a n d t h e
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e o n t h e a p p e a l i s w h e t h e r t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e e l i g i b l e f o r a c h i l d c a r e s u b s i d y b e c a u s e s h e d o e s n p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 3 o f t h e C h il d C a r e S u b s i d y R e t h e e v i d e n c e o r a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e a p p a p p e l l a n t . S e c t i o n 4 o f t h e C h i l d C a r e S u b s i d y A c t ( C C S A ) , p r C h i l d c a r e s u b s i d i e s 4 S u b j e c t t o t h e r e g u l a t i o n s , t h e m i n i s t e r m a y p a y c h i l d S e c t i o n 1 o f t h e C h il d C a r e S u b s i d y R e g u l a t i o n ( C C D e f i n i t i o n s 1 ( 1 ) I n t h i s r e g u l a t i o n : " e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m " m e a n s a p r o g r a m ( a ) d e l i v e r e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f a s s i s t i n g u n e m p l o y o v e r c o m e b a r r i e r s t o , t r a i n f o r o r o b t a i n e m p l o y ( b ) i n w h i c h a p e r s o n p a r t i c i p a t e s f o r a s p e c i f i e d p e s e l f e m p l o y m e n t ; . . . . S e c t i o n 3 o f t h e C h i l d C a r e S u b s i d y R e g u l a t i o n ( C C C i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w h i c h s u b s i d y m a y b e p r o v i d e d 3 ( 1 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y p a y a c h i l d c a r e s u b s i d y o n l y i f ( a ) t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e c h i l d c a r e i s n e e ( b ) t h e c h i l d c a r e i s a r r a n g e d o r r e c o m m e n d e d u n d ( c ) t h e c h i l d c a r e i s r e c o m m e n d e d u n d e r t h e C o m m h a s a p a r e n t a p p r o v e d f o r o r r e c e i v i n g c o m m u n A c t a n d t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e c h i l d c a ( 2 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e o f s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) ( a ) , t h e c h i l d c a r e ( a ) i n a s i n g l e p a r e n t f a m i l y , b e c a u s e t h e p a r e n t ( i ) i s e m p l o y e d o r s e l f e m p l o y e d , ( i i ) a t t e n d s a n e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n , ( i i i ) i s s e e k i n g e m p l o y m e n t o r p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n a n ( i v ) h a s a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n t h a t i n t e rt e r e s w i t h ( b ) i n a t w o p a r e n t f a m i l y , b e c a u s e ( i ) e a c h p a r e n t i s e m p l o y e d o r s e l f e m p l o y e d , a e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m , ( i i ) o n e p a r e n t i s e n g a g e d i n a n a c t i v i t y l i s t e d i n e m p l o y m e n t , ( i i i ) o n e p a r e n t i s e n g a g e d i n a n a c t i v i t y l i s t e d i n c o n d i t i o n t h a t i n t e r t e r e s w i t h t h a t p a r e n t ' s a ( i v ) R e p e a l e d . [ B . C . R e g . 5 7 / 2 0 0 2 , s . 2 ( b ) . ] ( v ) e a c h p a r e n t h a s a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n t h a t i n t M i n i s t r y ' s P o s i t i o n T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e 2 0 1 4 b e c a u s e s h e d o e s n o t h a v e a n e l i g i b l e r e a s o n t h e C C S R . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t , f o r a t w o p a r e e l i g i b l e r e a s o n s f o r n e e d i n g c h i l d c a r e a n d t h e a p p e e m p l o y e d a n d h e r h u s b a n d i s s t u d v i n a o n h i s o w n f o c i s i o n , w h i c h f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t o t h a v e a n e l i g i b l e r e a s o n f o r n e e d i n g c h i l d c a r e , g u l a t i o n ( C C S R ) , w a s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y l i c a b l e e n a c t m e n t i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e o v i d e s : c a r e s u b s i d i e s . S R ) , p r o v i d e s : e d , o r u n d e r e m p l o y e d , p e r s o n s t o s e a r c h f o r , m e n t o r s e l f e m p l o y m e n t , a n d r i o d o f t i m e o r u n t i l t h a t p e r s o n o b t a i n s e m p l o y m e n t o r S R ) , p r o v i d e s : d e d f o r o n e o f t h e r e a s o n s s e t o u t i n s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) , e r t h e C h i l d , F a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t , o r u n i t y L i v i n g A u t h o r i t y A c t i n r e s p e c t o f a c h i l d w h o i t y l i v i n g s u p p o r t u n d e r t h e C o m m u n i t y L i v i n g A u t h o r i t y r e i s n e e d e d . m u s t b e n e e d e d f o r o n e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g r e a s o n s : e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m , o r t h e p a r e n t ' s a b i l i t y t o c a r e f o r h i s o r h e r c h i l d ; t t e n d s a n e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n o r p a r t i c i p a t e s i n a n s u b p a r a g r a p h ( i ) a n d t h e o t h e r i s s e e k i n g s u b p a r a g r a p h ( i ) a n d t h e o t h e r p a r e n t h a s a m e d i c a l b i l i t y t o c a r e f o r h i s o r h e r c h i l d , o r e r t e r e s w i t h t h e i r a b i l i t y t o c a r e f o r t h e i r c h i l d . l i g i b l e f o r c h i l d c a r e s u b s i d y b e g i n n i n g J u l y 1 , f o r n e e d i n g c h i l d c a r e , p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 3 o f n t f a m i l y , S e c t i o n 3 ( 2 ) ( b ) o f t h e C C S R l i s t s t h e l l a n t ' s s i t u a t i o n i s n o t s e t o u t s i n c e s h e i s r e x a m s . T h e m i n i s t r v a r a u e d t h a t t h e
appellant's husband is not employed, self-employed, seeking employment, attending an educational institution, or participating in an employment-related program. The ministry argued that the appellant has not provided information to indicate that either she or her husband has a medical condition that interferes with an ability to care for their child. At the hearing, the ministry argued that an employment-related program is a program delivered by an organization which generally involves a course outline, classroom time and monitoring by an instructor and often the participants will enter into an agreement regarding the program expectations. The ministry argued that the appellant's self study does not fit within the definition of "employment-related program." The ministry argued that the Tribunal cannot change the legislation and must take a reasonable approach to the definition of "employment-related program." Appellant's position The appellant's position as expressed in her Notice of Appeal is that, according to the legislation, the reason for offering subsidies to families is that both parents do not have time to take care of their child and this works for her situation. The appellant argued that her husband is studying to upgrade his license in order to find a job, so it could be considered as a way of job seeking which is one of the reasons for receiving the subsidy. The advocate also argued that the appellant's husband is engaged in an employment-related program as his program of self-study is designed to allow him to work at his chosen profession in Canada and to give his family a future. The advocate argued that if the government does not have a formal program established for a certain type of work, the person should not be made to suffer [by not receiving a benefit]. The advocate argued that the ministry should provide the subsidy to the appellant in order to allow the appellant's husband to obtain his professional qualification, rather than expecting him to spend his time caring for his child or to train for a lower-level position, which is not good for the child, for the family, or for Canada. Panel decision Section 3(1) (a) of the CCSR stipulates that the ministry may pay a child care subsidy only if the ministry is satisfied that the child care is needed for one of the reasons set out in subsection (2). Section 3(2}(b) of the CCSR, which applies to the appellant as hers is a two parent family, sets out that the child care must be needed for one of the reasons listed. The appellant did not argue that she or her husband have a medical condition that interferes with an ability to care for their child, and the panel finds that the ministry reasonably concluded that the reasons listed in Section (2}(b )(iii) and (v) of the CCSR do not apply. The appellant is employed and her husband is engaged in self-study for the first of a series of exams to qualify for a license in Canada to practice his profession. While the appellant argued that it is like her husband is seeking employment, which is the reason listed in Section 3(2}(b}(ii) of the CCSR, the appellant's husband admitted that he has not approached employers and that he cannot work in his profession until he obtains his license in Canada. The panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant's husband was not "seeking employment" since he was not making active efforts spending time looking for work, and there was no record available to document these efforts. The advocate argued that the program of self-study undertaken by the appellant's husband should qualify as an "employment-related program", especially since the government does not offer a formal program to assist with qualifying for the appellant's profession. The panel finds that the definition in Section 1 of the CSSR specifically limits the subject program to one "delivered," and the use of this word suggests a formal structure of presentation by a person or persons to others who "participate" for a specified period of time. The panel finds that the ministry reasonably concluded that the appellant's self-study in which he is enqaqed entirely by himself with a flexible time schedule, as
o p p o s e d t o a s t r u c t u r e d p r o g r a m b e i n g " d e l i v e r e d " e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m . A l t h o u g h t h e g o v e r n a s s i s t w i t h q u a l i f y i n g f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p r o f e s s i o n , p r i v a t e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t o f f e r a s s i s t a n c e w i t h e x a m m o r e e f f e c t i v e . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h u s b a n d s t a t e d t h a y e a r a s h e i s n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y p r e p a r e d a n d , g i v e n t h e d i r e c t e d e x a m s c h e d u l e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i h u s b a n d w a s a v a i l a b l e t o p r o v i d e c h i l d c a r e t o h i s c e x a m s , a n d t h a t t h i s w a s n o t a n e l i g i b l e r e a s o n f o r n o u t i n S e c t i o n 3 ( 2 ) ( b ) ( i ) o f t h e C S S R . C o n c l u s i o n T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n , w h i c h f o c a r e s u b s i d y b e c a u s e s h e d o e s n o t h a v e a n e l i g i b l e S e c t i o n 3 o f t h e C h il d C a r e S u b s i d y R e g u l a t i o n ( C C a p p l i c a b l e e n a c t m e n t i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c t o h i m , d o e s n o t f i t w i t h i n t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f a n m e n t m a y n o t p r o v i d e a s t r u c t u r e d p r o g r a m t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h u s b a n d a d m i t t e d t h a t t h e r e a r e p r e p a r a t i o n , b u t t h a t h e b e l i e v e s h i s s e l f s t u d y i s t h e w i l l b e p o s t p o n i n g t h e f i r s t e x a m t o t h e n e w f l e x i b i l i t y o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h u s b a n d ' s s e l f  n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h i l d a t t h e s a m e t i m e t h a t h e s t u d i e s f o r h i s e e d i n g c h i l d c a r e f o r a t w o p a r e n t f a m i l y , a s s e t u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r c h i l d r e a s o n f o r n e e d i n g c h i l d c a r e , p u r s u a n t t o S R ) , w a s a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e e s a n d t h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t ry ' s d e c i s i o n .
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.