I APPEAL# PART C-Decision under Appeal The appellant appeals the reconsideration decision of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation ("the ministry") dated March 21, 2014, in which the ministry denied his request for a crisis supplement for tires for the trailer in which he resides, on the basis that the appellant did not meet all of the required criteria set out in section 57(1) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR). Specifically, the ministry determined that: 1. The crisis supplement was not required to meet an unexpected expense or obtain an item unexpectedly needed as provided by section 57(1)(a) of the EAPWDR; 2. The appellant had not demonstrated that he was unable to meet the expense or obtain the item because there are no resources available to him as provided by section 57(1)(a) of the EAPWDR; and 3. The appellant had not established that failure to meet the requested expense or obtain the item would result in imminent danger to the appellant's physical health or removal of a child under the Child, Family and Community Service Act as required by subs. 57(1)(b)(i) of the EAPWDR. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR') section 57(1). EAAT003(10/06/0l)
APPEAL; I PART E -Summary of Facts The information before.the ministry at reconsid(;lration included the appellant's Request for Reconsideration dated March 9, 2014 as' well as a copy of a letter dated October 29, 2012 prepared by the ministry and addressed to the appellant. This letter was in relation to a prior request by the appellant for a crisis supplement in relation to repairs to the roof of his trailer. On March 3, 2014, the appellant's sister requested a crisis supplement from the ministry on the appellant's behalf for new tires to be placed on the appellant's trailer because the existing tires were flat and as a result the trailer was not level. The appellant's sister advised the ministry that the appellant's trailer had been on blocks for quite some time but the blocks were not level and new tires would make the trailer level. A discussion occurred between the appellant's sister and the ministry worker regarding whether the existing tires could be inflated with air or spacers placed on the blocks to level the trailer but the appellant's sister did not know whether these were possible solutions. In the appellant's Request for Reconsideration he wrote that he wished to appeal everything "on the first page" referring to page 1 of the Reconsideration Decision. At the hearing, the appellant stated that he had owned his trailer for 16 years, that the tires in question are '1inished" and that he needs to have them replaced in order that he can properly live in the trailer as the windows are broken and he cannot keep his door closed because he cannot make it level. He noted that he could not put air in the existing tires as the wheels are resting on their rims and that he did not have the money to pay for this himself. In response to questions, the appellant stated that his intention is to replace the tires on his trailer and then to relocate. He stated that the ministry was holding money in trust for him for this purpose. The appellant confirmed that he lived alone and that since his mortgage had been paid off by the ministry, the money it had previously been deducting from his monthly disability payment for that purpose should be used to pay for the tires he was seeking. The appellant called his sister as a witness. She stated that the appellant had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and was dying. She stated that she wanted the appellant to move in with her but that he wouldn't move until his trailer had new tires and could be secured. She stated that health care workers would not access his trailer because it was unsafe to do so. In response to a question, the appellant's sister stated that the ministry knew of the appellant's terminal illness at the time of his initial application for the crisis supplement that is the subject of this appeal. At the hearing, the ministry referred to the reconsideration decision and confirmed its knowledge of the appellant's terminal illness. The ministry stated that it was trying to support the appellant by offering to move him to a new residence where he would be safer and more comfortable as the trailer is beyond repair. The ministry clarified that once a chattel mortgage on the appellant's trailer had been paid off in 2013, it no longer provided shelter payments to the appellant and did not hold that in trust for him. The ministry continued that paying a crisis supplement for tires to move a trailer that is in such disrepair is not safe and that it advised the appellant in the October 29, 2012 letter that it would not pay for future repairs. The ministry stated that as the trailer is so old and beyond repair, it's no longer unexpected that it will require repairs. In response to a question, the ministry confirmed that the appellant's terminal illness was considered when the reconsideration decision was made. EMT003(10/06/01)
APPEAL I The ministry called the Employment Assistance Worker ("EAW") who handles the appeUant's ministry file as a witness. The EAW confirmed that the appellant had been notified by the October 29, 2012 letter that the ministry would not pay for further repairs to his trailer as due to its age there could be no more unexpected repairs required. The EAW stated that he was told that the trailer was on blocks and that the tires were 35 years old. The EAW stated that tires are not supposed to last that long and that replacement of tires is not u n e x p e c t e d . In response to a question, the EAW clarified that the appellant had not exhausted all resources to meet the expense because options had been discussed such as using a jack or different blocks to level the trailer and no answers had been provided by the appellant as to whether those possible solutions would work. The EAW further commented that there was no evidence provided to the ministry to suggest that leveling the trailer would be of benefit to the appellants' health. Admissibility of Oral Testimony In the hearing of this matter, in addition to their submissions each of the appellant, his sister, the ministry and the EAW gave evidence in support of their respective positions. In reviewing this evidence, the panel finds that each person's oral testimony did not raise any new information beyond that which was before the minster at the time the reconsideration decision was made. Further, there were no objections by either the ministry or the appellant as to the admissibility of the oral evidence of either party or the witnesses. The panel therefore admits the oral evidence of the appellant, his sister, the ministry representative and the EAW as oral testimony in support of the information and records that were before the minister when the decision being appealed was made pursuant to section 22(4)(b) of the Employment Assistance Act. EAAT003(10/06/01)
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 i s 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 c i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r t i r e s f o r t h e t r a i l e r i n w h i c h h e r e s i d e s o s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 } o f t h e E A P W D R w a s r e a s o n a b l e . S p e c i f 1 . T h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t w a s n o t r e q u i r e d t o m e e t u n e x p e c t e d l y n e e d e d a s p r o v i d e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 2 . T h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t h e w a b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o h i m 3 . T h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t f a i l u r e t o r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y F a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t a s r e q u i r e d T h e c r i t e r i a t o b e a p p l i e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y o n a r e q u e s t f o E A P W D R a s f o l l o w s : ( 1 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o o r o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e i f ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t o r a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t r e q u i r e s o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y n e e d e d a n d i s u n a b l e t o m n o 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 , a n d ( b ) t h e m i n i s t e r c o n s i d e r s t h a t f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n ( i ) i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o f a n y p e r s ( i i ) r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e C h il d , F a m i l y a n d C o I n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d A p r i l 3 , 2 0 1 4 , d a m a g e d d u e t o a b r o k e n p i p e , t h a t t h e t r a i l e r ' s t i r e s a r e c a n n o t b e m o v e d u n t i l h e h a s t i r e s o n i t . A t t h e h e a r i n g a n d t h a t h i s r e q u e s t h a d n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h m e n t a l a n g u h u m a n r e s o u r c e s l e g i s l a t i o n . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t m e e t a n t h e E A P W D R f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r t i r e s f o r h i s t r a i A n a l y s i s I n o r d e r t o r e c e i v e a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t a n a p p l i c a n t m u s t h e E A P W D R . I f t h e a p p l i c a n t d o e s n o t m e e t e a c h o f t h p r o v i d e d . I s t h e e x p e n s e u n e x p e c t e d o r i s t h e i t e m u n e x p e c t e d T h e m i n i s t r y s a y s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t e s t a b l i s h e d u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r t o o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y 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 s t a t e s t h a t " I t w o u l d b e e x p p e r i o d , a n d t h e t i r e s a r e n o l o n g e r u s e d f o r t o w i n g , t h a t t d e t e r i o r a t e . T h e n e e d f o r o n a o i n Q r e p a i r s a n d l e v e l l i n a o E AA T 00 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 l )A P P E A l I i o n t o d e n y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r a c r i s i s n t h e b a s i s t h a t h e d i d n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n i c a l l y , t h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t : a n u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a n i t e m ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A P W D R ; s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m a s p r o v i d e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A P W D R ; a n d m e e t t h e r e q u e s t e d e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m w o u l d s i c a l h e a l t h o r r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e C h i l d , b y s u b s . 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i ) o f t h e E A P W D R . r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t a r e s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) o f t h e f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t . t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e s t h a t t h e f l o o r o f h i s t r a i l e r i s 3 5 y e a r s o l d a n d " d o n e w i t h " a n d t h a t t h e t r a i l e r , 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 w a s n o t a m e d i c a l i s s u e i s h o r a n e m e r g e n c y b u t r a t h e r t o a n e n t i t l e m e n t u n d e r y o f t h e t h r e e l e g i s l a t i v e c r i t e r i a u n d e r s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) o f l e r . t m e e t a l l t h r e e o f t h e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) o f e t h r e e c r i t e r i a , t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t w i l l n o t b e l y n e e d e d ? t h a t h e r e q u i r e s a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n e e d e d , a s r e q u i r e d b y s u b s . 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A P W D R . e c t e d t h a t w h e n a t r a i l e r r e m a i n s o n b l o c k s f o r a l o n g h e t i r e s w o u l d b e c o m e f l a t a n d t h e r u b b e r w o u l d f a t r a i l e r i s r o u t i n e m a i n t e n a n c e a n d i s n o t
u n e x p e c t e d . " A t t h e h e a r i n g , b o t h t h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n r e p l a c e m e n t o f t i r e s w a s n o t a n u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r e v e n t u a l l y h a v e t o b e r e p l a c e d . In t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e s t h a t t h e t r a t r a i l e r c a n n o t b e m o v e d u n t i l i t h a s t i r e s o n i t . T h e a p p e b a s i s t h a t h u m a n r e s o u r c e s l e g i s l a t i o n p r o v i d e d f o r i t . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t i r e s , w h e t h e r t h e y a r e f o r a v e h i c l r e p l a c e m e n t o v e r t i m e . I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e , t h e a p p e l l a 3 5 y e a r s o l d . F u r t h e r , t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t i f i e d b y t h e a p p r o v e n o f u r t h e r r e p a i r s t o h i s t r a i l e r a n d t h a t d u e t o i n e e d e d . A s s u c h , t h e p a n e l c o n c l u d e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y a r e n o t a n u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e o r a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y I s t h e a p p e l l a n t u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a a v a i l a b l e ? T h e m i n i s t r y s a y s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t e s t a b l i s h e d i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o h i m a s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n s t a t e s t h a t " t h e m i n i s t e r c a n n o n o a l t e r n a t e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e l e v e l l i n g o f [ t h e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t a n s w e r e d h i s q u e r i e s a s t o w c o u l d b e l e v e l e d s u c h a s u s i n g a j a c k o r d i f f e r e n t b l o c k s T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t t h e e x i s t i n g t r a i l e r t i r e s a r e " g t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n i s f o r n e w t i r e s t o b e p l a c e d o n t h e t r a i l S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a } o f t h e E A P W D R r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e a p p e a v a i l a b l e t o h i m t o o b t a i n t h e i t e m o r m e e t t h e e x p e n s e s u p p l e m e n t w h i c h i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e a r e t i r e s f o r h i s t r f o r n e w t i r e s . H o w e v e r , t h e r e d i d n o t a p p e a r t o t h e p a n e o t h e r r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t t o r e p l a c e t h e l a c k o f e v i d e n c e t o a d d r e s s t h i s , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t h e i s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t o h i m w a s r e a s o n a b l e . W i l l f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m r e h e a l t h o r r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d ? T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t w h i l e i t a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e a p p e e v i d e n c e t o s u g g e s t t h a t f a i l u r e t o p u r c h a s e n e w t i r e s w i l e v e l i n g t h e t r a i l e r w i l l a s s i s t w i t h h i s h e a l t h . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d a t t h e h e a r i n g t h a t t h e i s s u e i n t h i s m e n t a l a n g u i s h o r a n e m e r g e n c y a n d t h a t h e l i v e d a l o n e S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A P W D R p r o v i d e s t h a t f o r a c r i s b y a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n h e a l t h o f a n y p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t o r r e m o v a l o f a c h A c t. E M T 00 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 l )I A P P E A t a t i v e a n d t h e E A W g a v e e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y n e e d e d a s t i r e s a r e a n i t e m t h a t i l e r ' s t i r e s a r e 3 5 y e a r s o l d a n d " d o n e w i t h " a n d t h a t t h e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t h e w a s e n t i t l e d t o n e w t i r e s o n t h e e o r a t r a i l e r , a r e i t e m s t h a t e v e n t u a l l y r e q u i r e n t s a y s i n h i s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l t h a t h i s t r a i l e r ' s t i r e s a r e m i n i s t r y i n i t s l e t t e r o f O c t o b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 2 t h a t i t w o u l d t s a g e i t s h o u l d b e e x p e c t e d t h a t r e p a i r s w o u l d b e ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e t i r e s s o u g h t b y t h e a p p e l l a n t n e e d e d w a s r e a s o n a b l e . i n t h e i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s t h a t h e i s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e r e q u i r e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A P W D R . T h e t d e t e r m i n e f r o m t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t h a t t h e r e a r e a p p e l l a n t ' s ] t r a i l e r . " A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e E A W s t a t e d h e t h e r t h e r e w e r e o t h e r m e a n s b y w h i c h t h e t r a i l e r . a r b a g e " a n d c a n n o t b e f i l l e d w i t h a i r . H e a r g u e s t h a t e r . l l a n t m u s t d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s t h a t i s t h e s u b j e c t o f h i s r e q u e s t f o r t h e c r i s i s a i l e r . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e c a n n o t a f f o r d t o p a y l t o b e e v i d e n c e b e y o n d t h a t a s t o w h e t h e r t h e r e w e r e t i r e s o r o t h e r m e a n s o f l e v e l i n g h i s t r a i l e r . G i v e n t h e m i n i s t 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 h a d n o t t a i n t h e i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c a l l l a n t s u f f e r s f r o m a t e r m i n a l i l l n e s s , t h e r e i s n o l l r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s h e a l t h o r t h a t c a s e w a s n o t " m e d i c a l " a n d h a d n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h i n t h e t r a i l e r . i s s u p p l e m e n t t o b e g r a n t e d , i t m u s t b e d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c a l i l d u n d 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
I n t h i s c a s e , t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s g i v e n e v i d e n c e t h a t h e l i v t h a t t h e i s s u e h e r e i s n o t m e d i c a l i n n a t u r e . T h e m i n i s t r y t o s u p p o r t a f i n d i n g t h a t f a i l u r e t o r e p l a c e t h e t i r e s o n t h e h e a l t h a n d 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 t e r m i n a t i G i v i n g c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e e v i d e n c e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a s a t i s f y t h e c r i t e r i a f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r t i r e s f o r h i s t h e E A P W D 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 a p p l i c a n d t h e p a n e l t h e r e f o r e c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # e s a l o n e i n h i s t r a i l e r a n d h e h a s s t a t e d i n e v i d e n c e h a s n o t e d t h a t t h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e o r d o c u m e n t a t i o n a p p e l l a n t ' s t r a i l e r w i l l r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s o n i n t h a t r e g a r d w a s r e a s o n a b l e . t t h e m i n i s t 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 d i d n o t t r a i l e r a s p r o v i d e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) a n d 5 7 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f 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 a p p e l l a n t r a t i o n 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.