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 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d d e n i e d t h e a p p e l l a n t a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r s h e l t e r 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 R e g u l a t i o n ( E A R ) f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t b e u n e x p e c t e d , t h a t t h e p e r f a i l u r e t o p r o v i d e t h e s u p p l e m e n t w o u l d r e s u l t i n i m p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o r t h e r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e 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 A c t s e c t i o n 4 E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n s e c t i o n 5 9 . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I e c i s i o n d a t e d J u l y 9 , 2 0 1 4 i n w h i c h t h e m i n i s t r y b e c a u s e t h e r e q u e s t d i d n o t m e e t t h e c r i t e r i a i n S e c t i o n 5 9 . T h e l e g i s l a t i o n r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e n e e d s o n n o t h a v e t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e , a n d t h a t m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s o r h i s f a m i l y m e m b e r s ' 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 s A c t .
APPEA I PART E -Summarv of Facts The information before the ministry at the time of reconsideration included the following: 11 An eviction notice for the appellant's home dated June 1, 2014 giving the appellant until June 1, 2014 to vacate the home. The notice states that his rent is in arrears $300 for May 2014 and $900 for June 2014. 11 An eviction notice for the appellant's home dated June 1, 2014 giving the appellant until June 15, 2014 to vacate the home. " A cheque cashing history document from a cheque cashing company showing he cashed 4 cheques between April and June 2014. April 16 for $1160.05, May 15 for $300, May 16 for $297.79, and June 19 for $293.94. 11 A cheque stub for his Child Tax Benefit dated May 20, 2014 showing the appellant received $293.79. • Bank statements for the appellant's accounts for April and May 2014 showing his individual transactions. • A bank statement from the appellant's bank showing his transactions for April 17 to May 31, 2014. • A letter from the appellant undated stating that he is behind on his rent a total of $900 from May and June because his Child Tax Benefit (CTB) was reduced from $1100 to $300 in May. " A residential tenancy agreement in the name of the appellant dated September 1, 2012. • The request for reconsideration document dated July 3, 2014 where the appellant writes he is behind on his rent due to his CTB being reduced unexpectedly because of his ex-wife claiming the children were staying with her. He adds that he cannot work because he is waiting for knee replacement surgery. • The appellant is a sole employable recipient with one dependent child and joint custody of three children. • The appellant receives financial assistance totaling $1075.58 per month. • The appellant's monthly shelter costs are $900 rent, $70 hydro, $40 gas and $35 phone for a total of $1045. The ministry was not in attendance at the hearing. After confirming the ministry had been notified, the hearing proceeded under section 86(b} of the EAR. At the hearing the appellant told the panel his troubles began when he closed a small business he had in December 2013 that left him with a large gas and electric bill. In early 2014 he began to sell the assets of the company and pay off the debts he had related to the company. He confirms that he received approximately $3460 in April and $1963 in May 2014 in total income. He told the panel that in April and May he had to pay $1000 to the bank, $700 to the gas company, $800 in groceries, $400-$500 on clothes and shoes for his children, an unspecified amount for other personal debts, and he paid a total of $900 in rent. He added that in June he stopped paying his ICBC insurance of $80 per month because he was running short of money. He said that his ex-wife has not provided any financial support for the children. The appellant told the panel that when he found out that his CTB was reduced by $800 he contacted the CTB office to have the correct amount reinstated. He said he expected the issue to be resolved EAAT 003(10/06/01)
APPEAi I by the following month and he was going to use the money he received from CTB to clear up his rent arrears. He added that it would be very difficult for him to find a home large enough for him and his children for the same monthly rent. He is worried that if he is evicted he and his family will be homeless putting them in imminent danger. The appellant states that he has no parents or relatives and therefore cannot get assistance from these sources. EAAT 003(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 i n t h i s c a s e i s t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e q u a l i f y f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r s h e l t e r b e c a u s e h E A R S e c t i o n 5 9 . T h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d w h i l e t h e e x p e n s e w a s n o t u n e x p e c t e d . T h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i m e e t t h e n e e d a n d i f t h e m i n i s t r y f a i l s t o p r o v i d e h i m t o h i m o r h i s f a m i l y n o r w i l l i t r e s u l t i n t h e r e m o v a l o C o m m u n i t y A c t . T h e m i n i s t r y a l s o f o u n d t h a t t h e a m a l l o w a b l e a m o u n t f o r s h e l t e r c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t i n t h T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n i s a s f o l l o w s : 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 s e c t i o n 4 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 r o u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e f o r i t . E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n ( E A R ) s e c 5 9 ( 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 a s s i s t a n c e 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 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 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 ( 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 ( 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 i l d , F a m i l y a n ( 2 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d o n l y f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e . ( 3 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y n o t b e p r o v i d e d f o r t ( a ) a s u p p l e m e n t d e s c r i b e d i n S c h e d u l e C , o r ( b ) ( 4 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t p r o v i d e d f o r f o o d , s h e l t e r ( a ) i f f o r f o o d , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t m a y b e f a m i l y u n i t , ( b ) i f f o r s h e l t e r , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t m a y b ( i ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t , a n d ( i i ) t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 4 o f S c h e d u l t h a t m a t c h e s t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; ( c ) i f f o r c l o t h i n g . t h e a m o u n t t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e ( i ) $ 1 0 0 f o r e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t i n t h e f o r t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t , a n d ( i i ) $ 4 0 0 f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t i n t h e 1 2 c a l e n d a r m o s u p p l e m e n t . ( 5 ) T h e c u m u l a t i v e a m o u n t o f c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s n o t e x c e e d t h e a m o u n t c a l c u l a t e d u n d e r s u b s e c t i ( 6 ) I n t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n s u b s e c t i o n ( 5 ) i s c a l c u l a t e d b y m u l t i p l y i n g b y 2 t h a s s i s t a n c e t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e m o n t h u n t h e f a m i l y u n i t . ( 7 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 4 ) ( b ) o r ( 5 ) o r b o t h , a c r i s f o l l o w i n g : ( a ) f u e l f o r h e a t i n g ; ( b ) f u e l f o r c o o k i n g m e a l s ; ( c ) w I t i s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e c r i t e r i a a s s e t o u t i n E A R s e c t i o n 5 9 ( 1 ) r e q u i r i n g t h a t h a t t h e r e a r e n o o t h e r r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e . a n d t h a t i m m i n e n t d a n e r t o t h e h e a l t h o f t h e e r s o n / f a m i l u E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L 7 m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t i s n e e d d o e s 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 t h e r e d u c t i o n i n C T B w a s u n e x p e c t e d ; h i s r e n t n e d t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o w i t h t h e f u n d s i t w i l l n o t p o s e i m m i n e n t d a n g e r f h i s c h i l d r e n u n d e r t h e C h i l d , F a m i l y , a n d o u n t r e q u e s t e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t e x c e e d e d t h e e l e g i s l a t e d s c h e d u l e s . v i d e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o r a s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a f a m i l y t i o n 5 9 e n t t o o r 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 i n c o m e q u i r e s 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 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 b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e e x p e n 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 p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r d C o m m u n i ty S e rv i c e A c t . t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o r r e q u e s t f o r h e p u r p o s e o f o b t a i n i n g a n y o t h e r h e a l t h c a r e g o o d s o r s e r v i c e s . o r c l o t h i n g i s s u b j e c t t o t h e f o l l o w i n g l i m i t a t i o n s : p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s $ 2 0 f o r e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s t h e s m a l l e r o f e A o r T a b l e 2 o f S c h e d u l e D , a s a p p l i c a b l e , f o r a f a m i l y u n i t d m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e s m a l l e r o f 1 2 c a l e n d a r m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f a p p l i c a t i o n n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e c r i s i s t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t i n a y e a r m u s t o n ( 6 ) . o r r e q u e s t f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e , t h e a m o u n t u n d e r e m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o r h a r d s h i p d e r S c h e d u l e A o r S c h e d u l e D t o a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t m a t c h e s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e a t e r ; ( d ) h y d r o . s t f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t d o e s n o t m e e t t h e t t h e n e e d f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t b e u n e x p e c t e d , t h e f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e n e e d w o u l d r e s u l t i n n i t o r c a u s e t h e r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d f r o m t h e
h ome. T he ministry argues that while the appellant ap pel lant had t h e funds available to meet his shelter obligations. The ministry maintains that the appellant has not sh own that he has explored oth er danger to his health, and being evict e d will not result Family, and C ommu n i ty Act. It is the position of the appellant that because of his r has not been able to pay his r e nt . He argues that h lan dlor d has been lenient, he has been given an eviction notice. Regarding the criteria that the funds be needed for an u th e appellant's reduction in CTB was unexpected ho evi ction notice, is not unexpected. Th e panel finds that th expense of r e nt wa s e xp e c ted because the appellan month fo r mo re than 2 years. The panel acknowledges the EAR 59 ( 1) (a) does no t include an u nexpected expense or an it em unexpe cte dly n e eded. Rega r d in g t h e mi n i stry's dete rm inati on th a t the ap pellant panel consider ed the ap pe l lant's tes tim on y that it was Ap Th e tot a l tha t he recei ved in April 2 0 1 4 was $ 34 60 a receive d fro m sel ling some of h is b elongin gs . He expl tha t he paid with t h a t money wh ich l ef t him unable to f his ban k , $ 700 for a gas bill, $ 400-500 to buy n ew clothes gro cer ies, an d he pai d $600 for May's r ent and $300 to pa y i ng hi s I CBC auto insuranc e of $80 pe r month in J d oc u m en t at ion to s up port these ex p en ditures. Th e pan d eter mine that the appell a nt had the re sourc es av a debt s . Reg a r d ing the m inistry's d e termination that the appellant family's health nor the prospect of the remo val of his children und C ommunity A ct if h e f ai ls to obt ain the funds the pan caring for 3 children under the age of 16. In the reconsideration decision the ministry writes that even t ho ugh the appellant received an evi ction notice, the min the funds to pay his rent arrears will result in imm inent result in the remo val of h is chi l dren under the Child, Family, and Community Act. The ministry has not pro vided any re asons for this co n clu sion. The a ppellant argued that if he is evicted he may be homeless because finding a ne w home for a family his siz difficult. The panel finds that although the ministry did not provide any a mi nistry was re asonable in its de termination. The panel acknowledges that the appellant will have dif ficu lty finding a ppropriat e accommodations; how ever became behind on his rent, May 1st, he has had sufficient time to secure a new home to rent and prevent any danger to him and his family and to prevent the removal of his children. The panel finds that the ministry's deci sion was a reasonable application of the legislation in the circumstances of the annella nt and ther efore confirms the ministrv' EAAT003(10/06/01) I APPEAi ' s sudd e n redu ct ion in CTB was une xpect e d, the r esources for mo ney, th ere i s no imm i ne n t in the remo v al of his child re n und er the Ch ild, e d uced child tax credit f r o m $1 1 00 to $298 , he e n ow ow es $2100 in unpaid rent and although his n expected expense, the ministry determined wever his rent expense, and the resulting e ministry was reaso n able to dete rmin e the t has bee n paying rent to the same landlord each reduction in CTB was une xpected however reduction i n inco me , rather, an unex p ected has resources avai la ble to p ay hi s r ent, the ril a nd M ay w h en he beg a n to fa l l behind . n d in Ma y he recei ved $1963 inclu ding fu nd s he a ined t o th e panel t h a t he h a d sev eral de b ts ull y p a y his re nt. Th e debts inc l uded $ 1000 t o an d shoe s f o r h i s child r en , $800 for wa r ds J une's . He added th at he stopp e d un e. T he ap pe llant did not p rovi d e e l finds that t he mi nistr y was reas o n able to ilable to pa y his r ent b ut he ch ose to pay oth er does not fa c e im mi n e nt dan g er t o his o r his e r the Child, Family, and e l considered that the appellant is a single parent ister w a s n ot sat isfied that failure to provi de da nger to his or his family's he alt h nor will it e , and within his budget, will be very rgume nts to the contrary, the given the amount o f t i me f rom when he 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.