PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Minist,y of Social Development and Social Innovation (the ministry) reconsideration decision dated January 20, 2014 which denied the appellant's request for a supplement for moving costs under Section 57 of the Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR) as the ministry found that: • the moving costs are not to assist with one or more of the listed reasons for the move; • there was insufficient information to establish that there are no resources available to the family unit to cover the moving costs; and, • the ministry's approval was not received before incurring the moving costs. The ministry also denied the appellant's request for hardship assistance as the appellant has not been found ineligible for income assistance, which is a requirement under Section 5 of the Employment and Assistance Act (EM). PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR), Section 57 Employment and Assistance Act (EM), Section 5
P A R T E S u m m a r o f F a c t s W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f b o t h p a r t i e s , t h e h e a r i n g w a s c o 2 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t . 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 o n R e c o n s i d e r a t i o 1 ) L e t t e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e a p p e l l l e n g t h w i t h p a g e s 7 a n d 8 n o t i n c l u d e d ; a n d , 2 ) 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 P r i o r t o t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d a d d i t i o n a t t a c h e d l e t t e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e p a n e l c o n s i d e r e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s l e t t e r d a t e d J a c o n t a i n i n g n o n e w e v i d e n c e . I n t h e l e t t e r a t t a c h e d t o h e r R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r • S h e m o v e d o n D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 3 f r o m a p r e • T h i s w a s n o t a r o u t i n e m o v e a s s h e d i d n o t m n e g o t i a t e s i n c e s h e w a s o r d e r e d t o l e a v e t h e • A t t h e t i m e , s h e w a s h e a v i l y m e d i c a t e d w i t h m s u r g e r y t h e d a y b e f o r e a n d a b a c k p r o b l e m f o • S h e h a d t o f i n d s o m e p l a c e f o r h e r t h i n g s w h • S h e h a d t o w a l k t o t h e b a n k t o g e t m o n e y t o a t') y t h i n g b e y o n d t h e s i d e o f t h e r o a d . • A s i t t u r n e d o u t , s h e d i d n o t h a v e s u f f i c i e n t c a u p c h a r g i n g m o r e t o c o m p l e t e t h e j o b . T h e s p a y t h e m b a c k . • T h i s w a s n o t a p l a n n e d r e l o c a t i o n o r t h e t t 1 r e a e v e n t , b r o u g h t a b o u t l a r g e l y a s a r e s u l t o f u n • S h e w a s t e m p o r a r i l y i n a s t a t e o f t r a n s i e n c e w • I n t h e a b s e n c e o f a d e f i n i t i o n f o r " h a r d s h i p " u i n s u f f i c i e n t h e a t i n g a n d c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d a h • S h e h a d a s k e d t h e l a n d l o r d f o r a n e x t e n s i o n s 2 0 1 3 , a n d s h e h a d a l s o m a d e a n a p p l i c a t i o n B r a n c h d e c i s i o n o f N o v e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 3 a s w e P o s s e s s i o n . S h e h a d n o t h e a r d f u r t h e r f r o m R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y B r a n c h . • H e r e v i c t i o n w a s c a r r i e d o u t w i t h t h e a u t h o r i t y s t o p p e d r e s i d i n g a t t h e a d d r e s s . • T h e e v i c t i o n w a s c a r r i e d o u t e v e n t h o u g h t i 1 e O c t o b e r h a d b e e n p a i d i n f u l l o n O c t o b e r 9 , 2 m i n i s t r y f o r t h e o u t s t a n d i n g s u p p o r i f o r S e p t e • W i t h o u t a n y r e s p o n s e f r o m t h e l a n d l o r d t o h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e a r r i v e d w i t h t l 1 e W r i t o f P o s s e s • S i n c e s h e n o l o n g e r r e s i d e d a t t h e p r e m i s e s , p o rt i o n o f a s s i s t a n c e f o r D e c e m b e r . • T h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " s h e l t e r " i n c J t 1 Li e s t h e s h e l t e r n d u c t e d a s a w r i t t e n h e a r i n g , p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n n i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g d o c u m e n t s : a n t t o t h e m i n i s t r y , m a r k e d a s b e i n g 9 p a g e s i n J a n u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 . a l d o c u m e n t s , n a m e l y a N o t i c e o f A p p e a l a n d n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 a s a r g u m e n t o n h e r b e h a l f a n d a t i o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t : m i s e a t w h i c h t h e m i n i s t r y k n e w s h e w a s r e s i d i n g . o v e b y c h o i c e a n d d i d n o t h a v e a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r e m i s e s b y t h e b a i l i f f ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . u s c l e r e l a x a n t a n d p a i n r e l i e f d u e t o h e r h a n d r w h i c h s h e w a s a l r e a d y b e i n g t r e a t e d . i c h w e r e b e i n g p l a c e d o n t h e c u r b . p a y f o r t h e s t o r a g e a n d t o p a y f o r m o v i n g s h t o p a y f o r t h e s t o r a g e a s t h e m o v e r s e n d e d t o r a g e w a s p a i d b y s o m e o n e e l s e , a n d s h e h a s t o t o f s a f e t y y e t t h i s w a s s t i l l a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y f a i r s u r p r i s e . i t h n o f i x e d a d d r e s s . n d e r t h e E A A , t h i s e v e n t i s s i m i l a r t o a f l o o d o r a r d s h i p . i n c e s h e h a d s u r g e r y s c h e d u l e d f o r D e c e m b e r 5 , f o r a j u d i c i a l r e v i e w o f t h e R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y l l a s a n i n t e r i m i n j u n c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e O r d e r o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t o f B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a o r t h e o f a W r i t o f P o s s e s s i o n s i n c e s h e h a d n o t o u t s t a n d i n g r e n t f o r b o t h S e p t e m b e r a n d 0 1 3 w h e n s h e p i c k e d u p t h e c h e q u e f r o m t h e m b e r a n d O c t o b e r . r r e q u e s t f o r a n e x t e n s i o n , t h e b a i l i f f ' s s i o n , h i s c a m e r a a n d a m o v i n g c r e w . s h e w o u l d n o t h a v e b e e n e l i g i b l e f o r t h e s h e l t e r i n g _ o f b o t h h e r a n d h e r p o s s e s s i o n s e v e n i f t h i s
s h e l t e r i n g h a p p e n s i n a s t o r a g e r o o m o r u p o • T h i s s i t u a t i o n i s v e r y d i f f e r e n t t h a n a s c e n a r i o m o v i n g w a s a f u n c t i o n o f b a s i c n e e d . • S h e d i d n o t h a v e s u f f i c i e n t c a s h t o p a y f o r t h t o c o m p l e t e t h e j o b . T h e s t o r a g e c h a r g e s w e t h i s a m o u n t b a c k . S h e i n c u r r e d s t o r a g e c h a h e r c h a t t e l s t o t h e n e w a d d r e s s e f f e c t i v e J a n • W h i l e t h e a m o u n t o f r e n t s h e w a s p a y i n g a n d t r a n s i t i o n , s h e w a s p a y i n g $ 6 0 8 . 0 0 f o r r e n t n a c c o m m o d a t i o n w h e r e s h e i s p a y i n g $ 4 5 0 w I n t h e l e t t e r a t t a c h e d t o h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , t h e a p • T h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f h e r m o v e w e r e b e y o n d • S h e w a s i n a t e m p o r a r y s t a t e o f t r a n s i e n c e a s t r a t e g i e s s h e m i g h t h a v e a c c e s s e d . T h e M i n i s t r y r e l i e s o n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d t h e m i n i s t r y t h a t s h e h a d a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t a l l o f h e r b e l o n g i n g s w e r e m o v h e r D e c e m b e r r e n t f u n d s t o p a y f o r h e r b e l o n g i n g s t t h a t s h e w a s " c o u c h s u r f i n g " a n d l o o k i n g f o r a p l a c e r e q u e s t e d a s s i s t a n c e f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y t o r e i m b u r s e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . S i n c e t h e t i m e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' $ 6 1 0 m o n t h l y a m o u n t o f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r w h i c $ 3 7 5 s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e ) .n w h e e l s o r i n a g a r a g e o r , i d e a l l y , a n a p a r t m e n t . w h e r e p r i o r p e r m i s s i o n m i g h t b e s o u g h t a n d e s t o r a g e a s t h e m o v e r s e n d e d u p c h a r g i n g m o r e r e p a i d b y a n o t h e r p e r s o n a n d s h e h a s t o p a y r g e s f o r D e c e m b e r a s w e l l a s $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 t o m o v e u a r y 1 , 2 0 1 4 . h a d b e e n p a y i n g w a s n o t a f a c t o r i n t h e o t i n c l u d i n g h y d r o a n d s h e h a s s i n c e m o v e d i n t o h i c h i n c l u d e s u t i l i t i e s . p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t : h e r c o n t r o l . n d i t i s u n c l e a r w h a t k i n d s o f m a n a g e m e n t w h i c h i n c l u d e s e v i d e n c e t h a t o n D e c e m b e r 9 , b e e n e v i c t e d o n D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 3 . T h e e d o u t s i d e b y a s h e r i f f a n d s h e e n d e d u p u s i n g o b e m o v e d i n t o s t o r a g e . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t o l i v e . O n D e c e m b e r · 1 0 , 2 0 1 3 , t h e a p p e l l a n t h e r f o r t h e m o v i n g c o s t s s h e p a i d f r o m h e r s r e q u e s t , s h e h a s c o n t i n u e d t o r e c e i v e t h e f u l l h s h e i s e l i g i b l e ( $ 2 3 5 s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e p l u s
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue on this appeal is whether the decision by the ministry, which denied the appellant's request for a supplement for moving costs under Section fi7 of the Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR) and .denied her request for hardship assistance under Section 5 of the Employment and Assistance Act, was reasonably suppo1ted by the evidence or was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant. The relevant legislative criteria to be considered eligible for the supplement for moving costs are set out in Section 57 of the EAR as follows: Supplements for moving, transportation and living costs 57 (1) In tl1is section: "living cost" means the cost of accommodation and meals; "moving cost" means the cost of moving a family unit and its personal effects from one place to another; "transportation cost" means t11e cost of travelling from one place to another. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), the minister may provide a supplement to or for a family unit that Is eligible for income assistance, other than as a transient under section 10 of Schedule A, or hardship assistance to assist with one or more of the following: (a) moving costs required to move anyv,here in Canada, if a recipient in the family unit is not working but has arranged confirmed employment that would significantly promote the financial independence of the family unit and the recipient is required to move to begin that employment; (b) moving costs required to move to another province or countly, if the family unit is required to move to improve its living circumstances; (c) moving costs required to move witl1in a municipality or unincorporated area or to an adjacent municipality or unincorporated area because the family unit's rented residential accommodation is being sold or demolished and notice to vacate has been given, or l1as been condemned; (d) moving costs required to move within a municipality or unincorporated area or to an adjacent municipality or unincorporated area if the family unit's shelter costs would be significantly reduced as a re, , ult of the move; (e) moving costs required to move to another area in British Columbia to avoid an imminent threat to the physical safety of any person in the family unit; (f) transportation costs and living costs required to attend a hearing relating to a child protection proceeding under the Child, Family and Community Setvice Act, if a recipient is given notice of the hearing and is a party to the proceeding; (g) transportation costs, living costs, child care costs and fees resulting from (i) the required attendance of a recipient in the family unit at a hearing, or (ii) other requirements a recipient in the family unit mus\ fulfil in connection with the exercise of a maintenance right assigned to the minister under section 20 [categories that must assign maintenance rights]. (3) A family unit is eligible for a supplement unc'er this section only if (a) there are no resources available to the family unit to cover t11e costs for which the supplement may be provided, and (b) a recipient in the family unit receives t11e minister's approval before incurring those costs.
( 4 ) A s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n o n l y ( a ) t h e c o s t o f t h e l e a s t e x p e n s i v e a p p r o p r i a t e m o d e o f m ( b ) i n t h e c a s e o f a s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( i ) ( ! ) S e c t i o n 5 o f t h e E A A p r o v i d e s a s f o l l o w s : H a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e 5 ( 1 ) 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 r o v i d ( a ) i s e l i g i b l e f o r i t , a n d ( b ) i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . ( 2 ) I f h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e i s r e p a y a b l e , b e f o r e p r o v i d i t y p e o f s e c u r i t y f o r r e p a y m e n t . M o v i n g C o s t s S e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A R T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t h e r s h e l t e r c o s t s w e r s h e w a s p a y i n g $ 6 0 8 . 0 0 f o r r e n t n o t i n c l u d i n g h y d r o m o v e d i n t o a c c o m m o d a t i o n w h e r e s h e i s p a y i n g $ 4 5 t h a t t h i s w a s n o t a r o u t i n e m o v e a s s h e d i e ! n o t m o v t o n e g o t i a t e t h e c o s t o f t h e m o v e s i n c e s h e w a s o r d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h i s s i t u a p e r m i s s i o n m i g h t b e s o u g h t s i n c e m o v i n g w a s a f u n t h a t s h e d i d n o t h a v e s u f f i c i e n t c a s h t o p a y f o r t h e s c o m p l e t e t h e j o b , t h a t t h e s t o r a g e c h a 1 · g e s w e r e p a i d a m o u n t b a c k . T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t s h e i n c u r r e $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 t o m o v e h e r c h a t t e l s t o t h e n e w a d d r e s s e f f 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 m o v i n g c o s t s a r e n f o r t h e m o v e s i n c e t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m o v e b e c a u a n o t h e r p r o v i n c e o r c o u n t r y , d i e! n o t r n o v e t o a v o i d i m r e s i d e n c e i s b e i n g s o l d , d e m o l i s h e d o r c o n d e m n e d , s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e d u c e d . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t w h i l e p a y i n g $ 4 5 0 , t h e a p p e l l a n t a l s o a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t t h e r m o v e . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a p a i d f o r t h e m o v e w i t h h e r D e c e m b e r r e n t f u n d s , a n d a p p e l l a n t b e f o r e s h e i n c u r r e d t h e s e m o v i n g c o s t s . P a n e l d e c i s i o n T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e a p p e l l c1 1 1 t w a s e v i c t e d o n D e p r e v i o u s r e s i d e n c e , f o r w h i c h s h e w a s p a y i n g r e n t o m o v e d i n t o o t h e r p r e m i s e s a s o f J a n u a r y 1 , 2 0 1 4 a t S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A R p r o v i d e s f o r a m o v i n g s u p p f o r a m o v e w h i c h , f o r l o c a l m o v e s , i n c l u d e s m o v i n g c w o u l d b e s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e d u c e d a s a r e s u l t o f t h e m o v f r o m p r e m i s e s w i t h a m o n t h l y r e n t o f $ 6 0 3 . 0 0 t o p r e m d e c r e a s e i n r e n t o f $ 1 5 8 p e r m o n t h , a n d a l s o s a v e s t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e r e w a s n o i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d r e g a r e d u c t i o n i n r e n t a l o n e i s c l o s e t o 3 0 % w h i c h i s a s i g t h a t t h e a e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t l h e E � l l J . () t J r � t o f t o a s s i 3 ! w i t h o v i n g o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , a n d o r ( g ) , t h e l e a s t e x p e n s i v e a p p r o p r i a t e l i v i n g c o s t s . e l 1 a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t n g i t t h e m i n i s t e r m a y s p e c i f y a n d r e q u i r e a p a r t i c u l a r e s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e d u c e d a s a r e s u l t o f t h e m o v e a s i n h e r p r e v i o u s p r e m i s e s a n d s h e h a s s i n c e 0 w h i c h i n c l u d e s u t i l i t i e s . T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d e b y c h o i c e a n d s h e d i d n o t h a v e a n o p p o r t u n i t y e r e d t o l e a v e t h e p r e m i s e s b y t h e b a i l i f f ' s t i o n i s v e r y d i f f e r e n t f r o m a s c e n a r i o w h e r e p r i o r c t i o n o f b a s i c n e e d . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t o r a g e a s t h e m o v e r s e n d e d u p c h a r g i n g m o r e t o b y a n o t h e r p e r s o n a n d s h e h a s t o p a y t h i s d s t o r a g e c h a r g e s f o r D e c e m b e r a s w e l l a s e c t i v e J a n u a r y 1 , 2 0 1 4 . o t t o a s s i s t w i t h o n e o r m o r e o f t h e l i s t e d r e a s o n s s e o f c o n f i r m e d e m p l o y m e n t , h a s n o t m o v e d t o m i n e n t c l a n g e r , n o r b e c a u s e h e r p r e v i o u s a n d t h a t h e r s h e l t e r c o s t s h a v e n o t b e e n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t w a s $ 6 0 8 a n d s h e i s n o w h e a rn o u n t o f r e n t s h e p a y s w a s n o t a f a c t o r i n d r e s o u r · c e s t o c o v e r t h e c o s t s i n c e s h e a l r e a d y t h e m i n i s t r y ' s a p p r o v a l w a s n o t r e c e i v e d b y t h e c e m b : 3 r 6 , 2 0 · 1 3 f o r n o n p a y m e n t o f r e n t a t h e r f $ 6 0 8 . 0 0 n o t i n c l u d i n g h y d r o , a n d t h a t s h e a r e n t a l r a t e o f $ 4 5 0 . 0 0 , w h i c h i n c l u d e s u t i l i t i e s . l e m e n t t o a s s i s t w i t h o n e o r r n o r e l i s t e d r e a s o n s o s t s r e q u i r e d " i f t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s s h e l t e r c o s t s e . " T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t m o v e d i s e s w i t h a r e n t a l o f $ 4 5 0 . 0 0 , w h i c h i s a t h e a p p e l l a n t t h e c o s t o f u t i l i t i e s . T h e p a n e l f i n d s r d i n g t h e c o s t o f u t i l i t i e s e a c h m o n t h , t h e n i f i c a n t r e d u c t i o n . W h i l e t h e m i n i s t r y p o i n t e d o u t m n t s h e p a y s w a s n o t a f _ c 1 c t o r i n h e r m o v e , t h e
p a n e l f i n d s t h a t s i n c e t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s e v i c t e d f r o m t h e n e e d f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o f i n d a c c o m m o d a t i o n a t 5 7 ( 2 ) ( d ) r e q u i r e s a c e r t a i n r e s u l t o f t h e m o v e w i t h o u a p p e l l a n t . T h e r e f o r e , 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 c o s t s a r e n o t t o a s s i s t w i t h o n e o r m o r e o f t h e r e a s o E A R w a s n o t r e a s o n a b l e . S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A R s t a t e s t h a t a f a m i l y u n i t r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e f a m i l y u n i t t o c o v e r t h e c o a n d a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t r e c e i v e s t h e m i n i s t r a p p e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t s h e p a i d $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 t o m t h a t s h e d i d n o t h a v e s u f f i c i e n t c a s h t o p a y f m s t o r a n e e d s t o p a y t h i s b a c k . T h e m i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t s i n c c o n t i n u e d t o r e c e i v e t h e f u l l $ 6 · 1 0 m o n t h l y a m o u n t o w h i c h i n c l u d e s $ 2 3 5 s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e p l u s $ '. 3 7 5 s m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e r e i s i n s u f f i c r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o c o v e r t h e c o s t s s i n c e s h e r e c a n d d i d n o t h a v e a r e q u i r e m e n t t o p a y f o r r e n t f o r D e " c o u c h s u r f i n g . " T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t r e c e i v e t h e a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t h e r s i t u a t i o n i s v e r y d i m i g h t b e s o u g h t f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y . T l 1 e a p p e l l a n t p o u n e x p e c t e d l y a r r i v e d a t h e r p r e m i s e s w i t h t h e W r i t o m o v e h e r b e l o n g i n g s o u t o f t h e p r e m i s e s a n d o n t o t t a k e n b y s u r p r i s e d b e c a u s e s h e h a d r e q u e s t e d a n e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r j u d i c i a l r e v i e w o f t h e N o v e m b e r 1 4 B r a n c h a n d a n i n j u n c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e O r d e r o f P o s s e n o t i c e p r i o r t o b e i n g r e q u i r e d t o m o v e . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t w h i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s h o p e f u l T e n a n c y B r a n c h d e c i s i o n t h a t s h e m u s t l e a v e h e r p r h e a r d f u r t h e r f r o m t h e l a n cl l o r d 1 e g a r d i n g h e r r u q u e s R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y B r a n c h r e g a r · d i n g h e r c o u r t a p p N o v e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 3 t h a t s h e w o u l cl h a v e t o m o v e f r o a n a g r e e m e n t f r o m t h e l a n d l o r d o r a c o u r t o r d r 3 r t o t h o p p o r t u n i t y o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y : 3 w e e k p r i o r t o h a v i n g t o i n c u r t h e m o v i n g c o s t s , e v e n w h i l e n e c e s s a r y . T h e r e f o r e , 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 a p p r o v a l h a d n o t b e e n r e c e i v e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t p r i o H a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e S e c t i o n 5 o f t h e £ A A T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t s h e w a s n o t e l i g i b l e f t h e r e f o r e , e l i g i b l e f o r h a r d s l 1 i p a s s i s t a n c e . T h E l a p p e t h e p r e m i s e s i n D e c e m b e r , s l w w o u l d n o t h m m b e e 1 1 D e c e m b e r a n d s h e w a s t e m p o r a r i l y i n a s t a t e o f t r a n a r g u e d t h a t , i n t h e a b s e n c e o f a d e f i n i t i o n f o r ' ' h a i ' d s h f l o o d o r i n s u f f i c i e n t h e a t i n i n t h a t t h e c i r c u n :i_ :o , t a n c e r h e r p c e v i o u s p r e m i s e s f o r n o n p a y m e n t o f r e n t , a l o w e r c o s t c a n b e i n f e r r e d , a n d S e c : t i o n t s p e c i f y i n g a p a r t i c u l a r i n t e n t b e h e l d b y t h e r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m o v i n g n s f o r t h e m o v e a s s e t o u t i n S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 2 ) o f t h e i s e l i g i b l e f o r a s u p p l e m e n t o n l y i f t h e r e a r e n o s t s f o r w h i c h H i e s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d y ' s a p p r o v a l b e f m e i n c u r r i n g t h o s e c o s t s . T h e o v e h e r c h a t t e l s t o t h e n e w a d d r e s s b u t a r g u e d f I e , t h a t s o m e o n e e l s e p a i d o n h e r b e h a l f a n d s h e e t h e l i m e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t , s h e h a s f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r w h i c h s h e i s e l i g i b l e , h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e i e n t i n f o r m a t i o n t o s h o w t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o e i v e d $ 3 7 5 f o r · s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r D e c e m b e r c e m b e r s i n c e s h e h a c l b e e n e v i c t e d a n d w a s m i n i s t r y ' s a p p r o v a l b e f o r e i n c u r r i n g t h e c o s t s , f f e r e n t f r o m a s c e n a r i o w h e r e p r i o r p e r m i s s i o n i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e b a i l i f f ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i v 8 f P o s s e s s i o n , h i s c a m e r a a n d a m o v i n g c r e w t o h e c u r b . T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t s h e w a s x t e n s i o n f r o m t h e l a n d l o r d a n d s l 1 e h a d a l s o f i l e d , 2 0 1 3 d e c i s i o n b y t h e R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y s s i o n , a n d s h e t h o u g h t s h e w o u l d h a v e f u r t h e r t h a t h e r e f f o r t s m i g h t c h a n g e t h e R e s i d e n t i a . l e m i s e s , s h e a l s o a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t s h e h a d n o t \ f o r a n e x t e n s i o n o r f r o m t h e c o u r t m t h e l i c a t i o n . T h e a p p e l l a n t w a s a w a r e a s e a r l y a s rn h e r c u r r e n t p r e m i s e s , u n l e s s s h e c o u l d o b t a i n e c o n t r a r y , a n d t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e w a s a n s f o r t l 1 e a p p e l l a n t t o s e e k t h e m i n i s t r y ' s a p p r o v a l m a i n t a i n i n , 1 h e r h o p e t h a t t h e m o v e w o u l d n o t b e t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t i n c u r r i n g t h e m o v i n g c o s t s . o r i n o o n r n a s s i s t a n c e f o r D e c e m b e r a n d s h e i s , l l a 1 1 t a r g u e d t h a t s i n c e s h e n o l o n g e r rn s i d e d a t e l i g i b l e f o r t h e s h e l t e r p o r t i o n o f a s s i s t a n c e f o r s i e n c e w i t h 1 1 0 f i x e d a d d r e s s . T i l e a p p e l l a n t i p " u n d e r t h e E /I A , h e r e v i c t i o n i s s i m i l a r t o a w a s b e y o n d r , e r c o n t r o l a n d t h e m o v i n g c o s t w a s
an 'emergency expense' and can be considered a hardship. The ministry's position is that since the time of the appellant's request, the appellant has continued to receive the full $610 monthly amount of income assistance for which she is eligible ($235 support allowance plus $375 shelter allowance) and, since she is eligible for income assistance, she is not eligible for hardship assistance. Panel decision Section 5 of the EAA stipulates that the ministry may provide hardship assistance to or for a family unit that is eligible for it and is not eligible for income assistance. While the appellant argued that she was a transient for most of the month of December and, therefore, not eligible for income assistance, the panel finds that the appellant was considered by the ministIy to be eligible for income assistance for December and the appellant does not dispute that she has continued to receive the full amount for support and shelter allowance. The panel notes that income assistance is also provided to those who meet the definition of "transient" in the EAH, albeit at a different rate, pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 of Schedule A, as referred to in Section 57(1) of the EAR. The appellant argued further that her eviction was beyond her control, is similar to a flood or insufficient heating, and can be considered a "hardship", which is not a defined te1·m. The appellant described her eviction from her previous residence as an "extraordinary event", "brought about largely as a result of unfair surprise", which may fit more within the unexpected nature of a "crisis," as set out in Section 59 of the EAR. Given the panel finds that the ministry was reasonable in concluding that the appellant was not ineligible for income assistance, the panel also finds that the ministry was reasonable in not proceeding to consider whether the appellant's situation met all tl1e other eligibility requirements for hardship assistance under Section 39 of the EAR. Conclusion Overall, the Panel finds that the 111inist1y's decision which denied the appellant's request for a supplement for moving costs under Section 57 ot the EAR and for hardship assistance under Section 5 of the EAR was reasonably suppo1ted by the evidence and tne panel confirms the ministry's decision. ---··------�
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.