P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l m i n i s t r y " ) r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n o f M a y 5 , 2 0 1 4 w a s i n 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 ( " D A " ) f o r t h e t h a t p e r i o d s h e r e c e i v e d n o n e x e m p t u n e a r n e d i n c o P e r s o n w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s ( P W D ) u n d e r S c h e d u l e A o D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( E A P W D R ) . P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b E A P W D R S e c t i o n s 1 , 9 , 2 4 , S c h e d u l e s A a n d B E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L 7 D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( " t h e w h e r e i n 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 t h e a p p e l l a n t p e r i o d M a y 2 0 1 O t o A p r i l 2 0 1 4 b e c a u s e d u r i n g m e ( r e n t ) t h a t e x c e e d e d t h e D A r a t e s f o r a 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 f o r P e r s o n s w i t h i l i t i e s A c t ( E A P W D A ) S e c t i o n 1 1 ( 1 )
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s i n g l e r e c i p i e n t o f D A w h o i n 2 0 0 r e s u l t o f a m o t o r v e h i c l e a c c i d e n t . S h e w a s n o t p r e m o t h e r ( " J " ) w h o i s C o m m i t t e e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p e T h e a p p e a l w a s o r i g i n a l l y s e t d o w n t o b e h e a r d o n t h e m i n i s t r y a n d w i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e a p p e l l a n t . T h e f o l l o w i n g e v i d e n c e w a s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t 1 . 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 d e r d a m o t h e r ( " J " ) a s C o m m i t t e e o f t h e p e r s o n a n d 2 . S t a t e o f T i t l e C e r t i f i c a t e ( c o p y ) d a t e d M a r c h o w n e r o f a r e s i d e n t i a l p r o p e r t y ( " t h e p r o p e r t y d e c l a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t t o b e i n c a p a b l e o f m 3 . R e s i d e n t i a l t e n a n c y a g r e e m e n t f o r t h e p r o p e m o n t h o n a m o n t h t o m o n t h b a s i s ; 4 . 2 0 1 3 B C P r o p e r t y A s s e s s m e n t N o t i c e a d d r e p r o p e r t y ; 5 . A p r i l 8 , 2 0 1 4 l e t t e r f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y t o t h e a l o n g e r e l i g i b l e f o r D A b e c a u s e h e r m o n t h l y u n o e x e m p t i o n s a p p l i c a b l e ; 6 . A p r i l 2 3 , 2 0 1 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 t o a d v i s i n g t h a t : i . J i s C o m m i t t e e o f t h e p e r s o n a n d e s t i i . t h e a p p e l l a n t n e e d e d t o m o v e t o J ' s m c o m p l e x d e v e l o p m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l i i i . T h e p r o p e r t y h a d b e e n p u t o n t h e m a i v . T h e r e n t a l i n c o m e f r o m t h e p r o p e r t y w m u n i c i p a l i t y ; v . T h e a p p e l l a n t c a n n o t m a n a g e w i t h o u t 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 J a r g u e d t h a t t h e b e c a u s e s h e c a n n o t m a n a g e h e r f i n a n c i a l a f f a i r s . A t t h e h e a r i n g J e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t l i v e s i n 3 c a r e g i v e r s o n a r o t a t i n g b a s i s . T h i s e x p e n s e i s c o L i v i n g B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a . T h e a p p e l l a n t a l s o r e c e i v e s t r u c t u r e d s e t t l e m e n t r e l a t e d t o t h e M V A l i t i g a t i o n . t o 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 o f t h e m i n i s t r y . T h e J a d d e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i n c u r s s i g n i f i c a n t m o n t h l y r e s p o n s e t o a q u e s t i o n f r o m t h e p a n e l s h e a d m i t t e d f r o m t h e t e n a n t s o f t h e p r o p e r t y w e r e m a d e p a y a b l e o r a s a p a y m e n t " i n t r u s t " . T h e p a n e l d e t e r m i n e d t h a t J ' s a d d i t i o n a l o r a l e v i d e n e v i d e n c e i n s u n n o r t o f t h e r e c o r d s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L 2 s u f f e r e d a s e v e r e t r a u m a t i c b r a i n i n j u r y a s a s e n t a t t h e h e a r i n g , b u t w a s r e p r e s e n t e d b y h e r r s o n a n d e s t a t e . J u n e 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 b u t w a s a d j o u r n e d a t t h e r e q u e s t o f h e t i m e o f r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n : t e d A u g u s t 2 3 , 2 0 0 5 a p p o i n t i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e s t a t e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ; 1 , 2 0 0 6 s h o w i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t a s s o l e r e g i s t e r e d " ) w i t h a t t a c h e d c a v e a t f i l e d b y J a s C o m m i t t e e , a n a g i n g h e r a f f a i r s ; r t y d a t e d M a y 1 , 2 0 1 0 a t a r e n t o f $ 1 , 5 0 0 p e r s s e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a s r e g i s t e r e d o w n e r o f t h e p p e l l a n t i n f o r m i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t s h e w a s n o n e a r n e d i n c o m e e x c e e d e d h e r D A a n d t h e r e w e r e w h i c h w a s a t t a c h e d a l e t t e r f r o m J t o t h e m i n i s t r y a t e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ; u n i c i p a l i t y i n o r d e r t o b e a s s i s t e d w i t h h e r n e e d s ; r k e t f o r 1 0 m o n t h s b u t d i d n o t s e l l ; a s u s e d t o p u r c h a s e a n e w r e s i d e n c e i n J ' s h e r m o n t h l y P W D i n c o m e . a p p e l l a n t ' s a s s e t s s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d a t r u s t , h e r o w n h o m e b u t r e q u i r e s 2 4 h o u r c a r e g i v e n b y v e r e d b y t h e M i n i s t r y o f H e a l t h a n d C o m m u n i t y s a p p r o x i m a t e l y $ 2 0 0 0 p e r m o n t h p a i d o u t o f a T h i s s t r u c t u r e d s e t t l e m e n t i n c o m e i s n o t r e l e v a n t p r o p e r t y w a s p u r c h a s e d a s p a r t o f t h e s e t t l e m e n t . e x p e n s e s a s a r e s u l t o f h e r c o m p l e x n e e d s . I n t h a t t h e t e n a n c y a g r e e m e n t a n d a l l r e n t c h e q u e s s o l e l y t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d n o t t o J a s C o m m i t t e e c e w a s a d m i s s i b l e u n d e r s . 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A A a s e r a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n b e c a u s e i t c l a r i f i e d t h e
f i n a n c i a l 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 a n d p r o v i d i n c o m e a r i s i n g f r o m t h e p r o p e rt y . J a l s o t e n d e r e d a w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n i n w h i c h s h e f r o m t h o s e a s s e t s s h o u l d b e c o n s i d e r e d t o b e a t r u i n c o m e o r e x p e n s e s . S h e q u o t e d f r o m t h e m i n i s t r y r e l a t i o n s h i p w h e r e s o m e o n e ( t r u s t e e ) h o l d s t h e l e g f o r s o m e o n e e l s e ' s b e n e f i t ( t h a t p e r s o n i s c a ll e d t h ( h t t p : // w w w . e i a . q o v . b c . c a / p u b l i c a t / p d f / D i s a b i l i t i e s T r 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 T h e p a n e l m a k e s t h e f o l l o w i n g f i n d i n g s o f f a c t : 1 . T h e a p p e l l a n t i s t h e r e g i s t e r e d o w n e r o f t h e 2 . D u r i n g t h e p e r i o d M a y 2 0 1 O t o A p r i l 2 0 1 4 t h e p r o p e r t y o f $ 1 5 0 0 p e r m o n t h . 3 . D u r i n g t h e p e r i o d M a y 2 0 1 O t o A p r i l 2 0 1 4 t h e d e p e n d a n t s . 4 . J . i s C o m m i t t e e o f t h e p e r s o n a n d e s t a t e o f t E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L e d b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e r e n t a l a r g u e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a s s e t s a n d t h e i n c o m e s t b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o c o n t r o l o v e r h e r ' s w e b s i t e w h i c h d e f i n e s a t r u s t a s " a l e g a l a l i n t e r e s t i n ( l e g a l l y o w n s ) m o n e y o r o t h e r a s s e t s e " b e n e f i c i a r y ' ? . u s t s . p d f ) . n d t e n d e r e d a w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n a t t h e h e a r i n g . p r o p e r t y . a p p e l l a n t r e c e i v e d r e n t a l i n c o m e f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t r e c e i v e d D A a s a s i n g l e p e r s o n w i t h n o h e a p p e l l a n t .
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The i ssue under appeal is t he reasonableness of the ministry determine d that t he appellant wa s i neligible f or dis Apri l 2 014 because during that period she received non-exempt unearned income (rent excee d e d the D A rates fo r a Person with Disa bilities a n d Assistance f or Pe rsons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR). The relevant l e gis lation is set out i n t h e EAPWDA and EAP WDA: Re porting obligations 11 ( 1 ) For a family un it to b e eligib le for d i wi thi n the time specified b y regulation (a ) submit to t h e min ister (i) is i n the fo r m presc (ii ) contai ns the presc (b) no ti fy the minist er of an (i) may a ffe ct the el ( i i) was previous ly E APWDR: 1 (1) In th i s reg ulation: "unearned in come" me a ns any inco m e that is not earned inco limitation, m oney or value re c eiv ed from any of the follow ( n) re ntal o f l a nd, s elf-c on tained s ui t e s o r other applicant or recipie n t; Limits on income 9 (2) A family unit is n o t elig ib le f or disability assistance if the net income of the de termined under Schedule 8 equals or exceeds the amount of disability assistanc determined under Schedule A for a family unit matching that family unit. Amoun t of disability assistance 24 Disability assistance may be provided to o r for amount that is not more than (a) the amount determined (b) the family unit's net i ncome determined EM T0D3(10/06 /01) I AP PEAL 7 's decisio n wherein the ministry ability a ssistance (" D A") fo r the peri o d May 2010 to ) that (PWD) und e r Schedule A of the Em ployment EAPWDR: sa b il ity assistance, a recipient, in t he m an ner and , must a repo rt that rib ed by th e mi n i ster , an d rib ed infor matio n , a nd y ch a ng e i n c i rcu mstanc es o r i nformation th a t i gibilit y of th e f a m ily uni t, and provided to th e minist er . me, and includ e s, without ing: pr op e rty except t h e pla ce o f re sidence of a n f amily u ni t e a f amil y unit, for a c alendar month, i n an und e r Schedule A , minus under Sc hedule 8.
I APPEAL The appellant's representative does not dispute that monthly rental income of $1500 was paid to the appellant during the period May 201 Oto April 2014. However, she argues that the appellant is incapable of managing her financial affairs by reason of mental incapacity and that all of the assets of the appellant should be considered as being held in trust by the appellant's Committee. She argues further that all income flowing from these assets, including the rental income received from the property, should be considered trust income and should be exempt from inclusion in the appellant's income under Schedule B. The ministiy argues that: o The appellant was the registered owner of the property during the period May 2010 to April 2014; • The appellant's monthly rental income of $1500 falls within the statutoiy definition of unearned income found in EAPWDR Section 1 (1) (n); • Under EAPWDR Section 24 the amount of monthly DA is determined by deducting the amount of income calculated under Schedule B from the rate of shelter and support allowances calculated under Schedule A; • In order to be eligible for DA it was the appellant's responsibility under EAPWDA Sections 11 (1) and 29 to declare any changes to her income, including unearned income , by the 5 th day of the calendar month following which she received this income; • The appellant received rental income of $1500 per month from the property which exceeded the amount of her monthly DA during the period May 2010 to April 2014; • The appellant did not declare her rental income during the period May 201 Oto April 2014 but received DA during that period; • There are no exemptions in the legislation for rental income received from the property; • Whether this rental income can be exempted as part of a trust is beyond the scope of the reconsideration decision. The panel finds that the ministiy reasonably determined that monthly rental income of $1500 received by the appellant during the period May 2010 to April 2014 constitutes unearned income under EAPWDR Section 1 (1) (n) which must be included in calculating the appellant's Schedule B income. There are no exemptions or deductions in the legislation applicable to this type of unearned income. Because the appellant's Schedule B income exceeds the amount of shelter and support allowances payable to the appellant under Schedule A the ministiy reasonably determined that the appellant is ineligible for DA during this period pursuant to Section 24 of the EAPWDR. This panel also finds that the ministiy reasonably determined that the issue of whether the unearned (rent) income received by the appellant constituted trust income arising from a Committeeship order was beyond the jurisdiction or scope of the reconsideration decision because the applicable legislation does not address a Committeeship relationship in the circumstances of this appeal. In conclusion, the panel finds that the ministiy's decision to deny DA to the appellant for the period May 2010 to April 2014 because during that period she received non-exempt unearned income (rent) that exceeded the disability assistance rates for a Person with Disabilities (PWD) under Schedule A of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR) is a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant, and confirms the decision. EAAT003(10/06/01)
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