PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "ministry") August 6, 2014 reconsideration decision denying the appellant's request for a moving supplement under section 57(2) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR) because the move does not meet the criteria of section 57(2): the appellant is moving within the same municipality; however, his move does not significantly reduce his shelter costs or prevent imminent danger to his physical safety, is not for confirmed employment that would significantly promote financial independence, and his current accommodation is not being sold, demolished or condemned. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR) section 57(2). EAAT 003(10/06101)
PART E -Summary of Facts The information before the ministry at the time of reconsideration included the following: From ministry records: o On July 9, 2014, the appellant requested a moving supplement. o The appellant has stated that his son moved out and he is no longer eligible for a 2 bedroom subsidized unit with BC Housing. • He is moving to a one bedroom unit one block away. • Due to his tendonitis the appellant is unable to move his workout equipment. o His son is no longer in town to assist and his family is unable to assist financially. • The appellant's rent is $328 and will remain the same after his move. In his request for reconsideration dated July 24, 2014, the appellant writes: "My unit's rented residential accommodation is being prescribed to another family according to BC Housing regulations and a notice to vacate has been given. It is obvious that the unit's rented residential accommodation has been condemned." In the Notice of Appeal dated August 14, 2014, the appellant's advocate states that the appellant lives in subsidized housing and his rent is fixed regardless of where he lives. Moving to a location that is at a reduced cost is not possible in his situation ..... He lives on a very meager income and the decision has proved to create a great hardship in the appellant's already difficult life. Further documents were provided by the appellant and advocate: A moving invoice dated August 4, 2014 for $315. A moving invoice dated August 3, 2014 for $122.50. A 23 page document from BC Housing dated September 3, 2014 detailing rent amounts paid by the appellant. This document confirms that the appellant's rent from March 2014 to July 2014 was $328 and will remain so until August 1, 2015. A letter from BC Housing dated September 3, 2014 quoting the market rent for the appellant's previous residence at $1256 and for his current place at $ 922. The letter also states that "Had [the appellant] not moved he would have been served a 60 Day Notice to End Tenancy under the Residential Tenancy Act." The ministry did not object to these documents being admitted as evidence. At the hearing the appellant stated that he wanted to stay in his 2 bedroom place so that his son could visit him occasionally. BC Housing had told him if he did not comply and moved to the 1 bedroom place he would lose accommodation with BC Housing. He had injured his hands and shoulders and had provided a doctor's note in his Persons With Disabilities application. His move took around 2 weeks. He borrowed a BC Housing cart and transferred some boxes every day and at the end he had a moving company move his heavy items like his futon, books and exercise equipment on Auqust 3 and 4. He paid them with borrowed monev which he has now paid back EMT003(10/06/01)
partially: He has paid back his girlfriend but not his son and 2 friends. He returned the keys on August 4 th . To a question from the ministry the appellant answered that he had not received a notice of eviction. The ministry relied on its reconsideration and added the following information: The appellant was transferred 1 block -that means he can physically move his belongings. Pursuant to section 22(4) of the Employment and Assistance Act the panel admits the appellant's statements in his Notice of Appeal, the 2 moving invoices, the 24 page BC Housing document, and his oral testimony as being in support of the information that was before the ministry at reconsideration. The panel also admits the BC Housing letter with the exception of information on market rents; information on market rents is new information and not in support of the information that was before the ministry at reconsideration The panel finds the following facts: The appellant moved within a municipality with no change in monthly rent. EAAT 003(1 0/06/01)
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 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 m o v i n g s u p p l e m e n t a s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 2 ) E A s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e d u c e h i s s h e l t e r c o s t s , p r e v e n t i m m i n c o n f i r m e d e m p l o y m e n t t h a t w o u l d s i g n i f i c a n t l y p r o m a c c o m m o d a t i o n i s n o t b e i n g s o l d , d e m o l i s h e d o r c o l e g i s l a t i o n o r r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A R a p p l i e s t o t h i s a p p e a l : S u p p l e m e n t s f o r m o v i n g , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d l 5 7 ( 2 ) S u b j e c t t o s u b s e c t i o n s ( 3 ) a n d ( 4 ) , t h e m 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 a s s i s o f S c h e d u l e A , o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e t o a ( a ) m o v i n g c o s t s r e q u i r e d f a m i l y u n i t i s n o t w o r k i n g w o u l d s i g n i f i c a n t l y p r o m o t a n d t h e r e c i p i e n t i s r e q u i r e ( b ) m o v i n g c o s t s r e q u i r e d f a m i l y u n i t i s r e q u i r e d t o m ( c ) m o v i n g c o s t s r e q u i r e d a r e a o r t o a n a d j a c e n t m u n f a m i l y u n i t ' s r e n t e d r e s i d e n a n d n o t i c e t o v a c a t e h a s b ( d ) m o v i n g c o s t s r e q u i r e d a r e a o r t o a n a d j a c e n t m u n u n i t ' s s h e l t e r c o s t s w o u l d b ( e ) m o v i n g c o s t s r e q u i r e d t a v o i d a n i m m i n e n t t h r e a t t u n i t ; ( 3 ) A f a m i l y u n i t i s e l i g i b l e f o r a s u p p l e m e ( a ) t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s w h i c h t h e s u p p l e m e n t m a y / b ) a r e c i o i e n t i n t h e f a m i l v E A A T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )t e r m i n a t i o n d e n y i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r a R b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m o v e d o e s n o t e n t d a n g e r t o h i s p h y s i c a l s a f e t y , i s n o t f o r o t e f i n a n c i a l i n d e p e n d e n c e , a n d h i s c u r r e n t n d e m n e d , 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 . i v i n g c o s t s i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e a s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a t a n c e , o t h e r t h a n a s a t r a n s i e n t u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 0 s s i s t w i t h o n e o r m o r e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g : t o m o v e a n y w h e r e i n C a n a d a , i f a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e b u t h a s a r r a n g e d c o n f i r m e d e m p l o y m e n t t h a t e t h e f i n a n c i a l i n d e p e n d e n c e o f t h e f a m i l y u n i t d t o m o v e t o b e g i n t h a t e m p l o y m e n t ; t o m o v e t o a n o t h e r p r o v i n c e o r c o u n t r y , i f t h e o v e t o i m p r o v e i t s l i v i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s ; t o m o v e w i t h i n a m u n i c i p a l i t y o r u n i n c o r p o r a t e d i c i p a l i t y o r u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a b e c a u s e t h e t i a l a c c o m m o d a t i o n i s b e i n g s o l d o r d e m o l i s h e d e e n g i v e n , o r h a s b e e n c o n d e m n e d ; t o m o v e w i t h i n a m u n i c i p a l i t y o r u n i n c o r p o r a t e d i c i p a l i t y o r u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a i f t h e f a m i l y 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 ; o m o v e t o a n o t h e r a r e a i n B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a t o o t h e p h y s i c a l s a f e t y o f a n y p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y n t u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n o n l y i f 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 s t s f o r b e p r o v i d e d , a n d u n i t r e c e i v e s t h e m i n i s t e r ' s a n n r o v a l b e f o r e
incur ring thos e costs. (4) A sup pleme nt may be p rovided under (a) the c ost of the l ea s t expen tr ansp o rtation, ... In it s deci sion the panel w ill b e exa mini ng each appl t he a ppellant 's ci r c umstances. Confirme d empl oyment -s e ction 57( 2 / (a) Pu rsu a nt to s e c tion 57 (2)(a) the ministry ma y prov co sts if he is moving with in Cana da to c onf irmed emplo fina ncial in d ependence . The a pp ellant did n ot provide an y inf ormati o n or argum employmen t. The panel th e re f o re f ind s th at th e ministry s upp leme n t under s ection 57(2) ( a) . A c com moda tion sold, demol ished o r cond e m ned -section 57(2/(c) Section 5 7(2)(c) affirm s t h at th e m i nis tr y m ay provide appellant's acc ommodation is bei ng sold, demoli shed, The app ellan t states that h i s acco mmodation has bee obvious t ha t his acco mmodation has been condemned. The ministry argues that the appellant is not aware of the meaning of legislation incorrectly: a ccording to th e mi nistry, th e unfit for use or ser v ice, a nd this i s not the case with t he has to move is he is no lon g e r e ligi bl e for a 2 be The panel finds that there is no evidence that the appel demolished, or has bee n condemned. There fore the panel finds the ministry was reasonable in de n y in g t h e appellant a moving sup plement under section 57( S ig nific a ntly re duced s h e lt e r cos t s -sect ion 5 7(2 / (d According to section 57(2)(d) the ministry may provide moving costs within a municipality if the appellant's shelter costs would be significantly reduced. The ap pellant a rgues that he s h o u l d be e l igible fo r a movin location that is significantly cheaper is not possible in his situation as he lives in subsidized housing and his rent is fixed. EMT003(10/06/01) this se cti on onl y to as sis t wi t h s i v e a p prop riate mode o f moving o r ic able s ection of the l egi slation as i t p e rtains to i d e th e a p pella n t wit h a supplem ent f or moving ym e nt th at wou l d signif icantly pr omote his ent that he is m o ving to confirm ed r easo nably de ni e d the app ellant a mov i ng movin g costs within a munici pa l ity if t he or has bee n co n d emned . n assi g ned to an o t h er fa mily and i t i s t herefore "condemn ed" and i s interpreting d efin ition of condemned is to ju dge or p r onounce he a ppellant' s ac commodation; the reason why d r oom unit. lant's accommodation was being sold, 2)(c). ) g s u pplement even thou gh mo ving to a
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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.