P ART C -Dec i sion un der Ap peal The decis ion under appeal is the Ministry of Social Developm "ministry") reco n side rat ion de cis ion da t ed Augus t 6 eligible for a m ovi ng supplem ent as the a pp ellant d pr ovince or cou ntry; t o another ar ea o f th e pr ovince physical safety ; or wi thin th e m u nicip a lity or uni ncor unin co rpo rated area a s requ i red by section 55 ( 2) of PAR T D -R el evant Legislat ion Empl oyment a nd Assi s tan c e fo r P erson's with Disability Reg EAA T 00 3 (10/06/01)r en t an d So c ial Innovation (t he , 201 4 w hi ch h e l d tha t the appellant was not i d not move to conf irmed em ploy ment ; t o another t o avo id an imminent thr eat to h is f a mily' s por a te d area o r to an adja cen t munici pa li ty o r the EAPWDR. u l ation , section 55 ( the "EAPWDR").
PART E -Summary of Facts The appellant is a recipient of disability with no dependent children. The evidence before the Ministry at reconsideration included the following documents: 1. Rules and Regulation of the Mobile Home Park dated June 1, 2014 noting the monthly rental as $370; 2. Quote from a moving company dated June 4, 2014 to move the appellant to the new location in the amount of $2,541.00; 3. Quote from a moving company dated June 4, 2014 to move the appellant to the new location in the amount of $1,700.00; 4. Quote from a moving company dated June 11, 2014 to move the appellant to the new location in the amount $2,247.00; and 5. Shelter Information form dated June 19, 2014 listing the appellant as the client for the mobile home park with the rental amount listed as $275. 6. Employment and Assistance Request for Reconsideration dated July 24, with the following written submissions: a. The appellant reduced the cost of his rent from $885 per month to $275 per month; b. The appellant searched their municipality during the month of April 2014 to June 2014 · for a modular home park that would accept his 1972 modular home and no home park would accept the modular home because it was too old; c. The appellant was given the modular home by a friend to help him and his wife; d. The appellant searched adjacent municipalities and was refused because of the age of the modular home; e. The appellant searched the none adjacent municipalities and finally found a home park; f. The appellant could also not find any home park with vacancies; g. The appellant's choice is to live in the city he moved from as his children and grandchildren continue to reside in the city; h. The town the appellant moved to is not within the municipality but it is part of the same district; and i. The appellant and his wife are physically unable to move themselves. In the Notice of Appeal dated August 22, 2014 the appellant submitted the following written submissions: 1. The appellant did not want to leave the city but he received an unexpected gas bill in the amount of $1,500.00 when the gas companies changed ownership. 2. The appellant's projected gas bills were $382 per month and the cost of living exceeded his income; 3. The appellant did everything in his power to find a home within the adjacent municipalities but no one would accept a 1972 modular home and if they did not move they would have been homeless July 1, 2014; and 4. The moving company arrived with a truck that was too small and the appellant had to rent a truck and hire movers the next day to move the rest of his stuff and he could not afford to. EMT 003(10/06/01)
At the hearing, the Appellant provided the following additional oral evidence:· 1. The appellant was paying $885 not $850 as noted in the Reconsideration Decision; 2. The appellant noted the discrepancy on the Rules and Regulations form and the Shelter information form and confirmed that he is paying $275 for rent; 3. The appellant thought he was approved for the moving supplement on June 3, 2014; 4 . The appellant believed that he was approved for the moving supplement on June 3, 2014 upon bringing in the requested documents; 5. The appellant received notice by regular mail on June 27, 2014 that he was not approved for the moving supplement which was two days prior to his move; 6. The appellant paid $8,000 to have his mobile home moved to the new location. The appellant expected to pay this moving costs and arranged to borrow the money from his mother; and 7. The appellant borrowed all the costs of moving from his mother. At the hearing, the ministry provided the following additional oral evidence: 1. The ministry explained that the process of approval for a moving supplement includes the applicant providing three quotes in writing and a shelter information sheet to the ministry. Once the documents are received, the ministry reviews the documents and determines whether the applicant is eligible for assistance. The determination is then communicated to the applicant prior to the applicant incurring costs. The panel finds that the additional evidence provided by the Appellant clarified his situation and was admissible under section 22(4) of the Employment and Assistance Act as it was in support of the records before the Ministry at reconsideration. EM T003(10/06/01)
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue is whether the Ministry's decision to deny the appellant a moving supplement pursuant to section 55 of the EAPWDR is a reasonable application of the circumstances of the appellant or is reasonably supported by the evidence. Section 55 of the EAPWDR gives the ministry authority to provide supplements for moving, transportation and living costs providing the applicant meets specific criteria under this section. Specifically section 55(2)(d) allows the ministry to assists with moving costs that are required, among other things, to move within or to an adjacent municipality or unincorporated area if the shelter costs would be significantly reduced as a result of the move. Section 55 of the EAPWDR states the following: 55 (1) In this 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 the 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 disability assistance or hardship assistance to assist with one or more of the following: (a) moving costs required to move anywhere 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 country, if the family unit is required to move to improve its living circumstances; (c) moving costs required to move within 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 a notice to vacate has been given, or has 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 result 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 proceedina under the Child, Family and Community Service Act, if a recipient is EAAT003(10/06/01)
g i v e n n o t i c e o f t h e h e a r i n g a n d i s a p a r t y t o t ( g ) t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c o s t s , l i v i n g c o s t s , c h i l d c a ( i ) t h e r e q u i r e d a t t e n d a n c e o f a r e c i p i e ( i i ) o t h e r r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e x e r c i s e o f a m a i n t e n a n c e r i g h t a s s i g n t h a t m u s t a s s i g n m a i n t e n a n c e ri g h t s ]. ( 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 n t u n d e r t h ( a ) 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 t h e f a s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d , a n d ( b ) 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 ( 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 ( 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 ( 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 l i v i n g c o s t s . ( B . C . R e g . 2 7 5 / 2 0 0 4 ) T h e M i n i s t r y ' s P o s i t i o n T h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l a s a r e s u l t o f a m o v e , b u t t h e y w e r e n o t s a t i s f i e d t h 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 a r e a p u r s u a n t t o s e c T h e m i n i s t r y h e l d t h a t t h e r e a r e t w o m u n i c i p a l i t i e s t h r e s i d e n c e a n d h i s n e w p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e w h i c h p r e a n " a d j a c e n t m u n i c i p a l i t y " a s r e q u i r e d b y t h e l e g i s l a t T h e m i n i s t r y f u r t h e r f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a u n d e r s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) i n c l u d i n g m o v i n 1 . T o a n y w h e r e i n t h e c o u n t r y f o r c o n f i r m e d e m p r o m o t e f i n a n c i a l i n d e p e n d e n c e w h i c h r e q u i r 5 5 ( 2 ) ( a ) ; 2 . 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 t o i m p r o v e l i v i 3 . T o w i t h i n t h e 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 a a r e a b e c a u s e t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c c o m m o d a t i o v a c a t e h a s b e e n g i v e n o r i t h a s b e e n c o n d e m 4 . T o a n a r e a i n t h e p r o v i n c e t o a v o i d a n i m m i n e s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( e ) . T h e A p p e ll a n t ' s P o s i t i o n T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t d i s p u t e h e d i d n o t m e e t t h e r e a r g u e d o n t h e b a s i s o f s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( d ) . T h e a p p e l l a p a r k t h a t w o u l d a c c e p t h i s 1 9 7 2 m o d u l a r h o m e w a s c u r r e n t l y l i v e d a n d a l t h o u g h i t i s n o t w i t h i n h i s m u n i c m u n i c i o a l i t v " o r u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a i t w a s p a r t o f t h E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )h e p r o c e e d i n g . r e c o s t s a n d f e e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t a t a h e a r i n g , o r e f a m i l y u n i t m u s t f u l f i l i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e e d t o t h e m i n i s t e r u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 7 [ c a t e g o r i e s ( B . C . R e g . 2 7 5 / 2 0 0 4 ) i s s e c t i o n o n l y i f 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 w h i c h t h e i n i s t e r ' 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 o s e c o s t s . n o n l y t o a s s i s t w i t h e m o d e o f m o v i n g o r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , a n d t i o n ( 1 ) ( f ) 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 a n t ' s s h e l t e r c o s t s 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 t t h e a p p e l l a n t m o v e d w i t h i n o r t o a n a d j a c e n t t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( d ) a t l i e b e t w e e n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s t h e n p l a c e o f v e n t s t h e n e w r e s i d e n c e f r o m b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d i o n . m e e t a n y o f t h e a d d i t i o n a l m o v i n g s u p p l e m e n t g t o s a t i s f y t h e f o l l o w i n g r e q u i r e m e n t s : p l o y m e n t i f t h e e m p l o y m e n t w o u l d s i g n i f i c a n t l y e d t h e a p p e l l a n t m o v i n g p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( b ) ; r e a o r a n a d j a c e n t 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 n i s b e i n g s o l d o r d e m o l i s h e d a n d n o t i c e t o n e d p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( c ) ; o r n t t h r e a t t o h i s p h y s i c a l s a f e t y p u r s u a n t t o q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n s 5 5 2 ( a ) ( b ) ( c ) o r ( e ) , b u t n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e f i r s t a v a i l a b l e m o d u l a r h o m e t h r e e m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a w a y f r o m w h e r e h e i p a l i t y o r a n u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a o r a n " a d j a c e n t e s a m e d i s t r i c t a n d t h e r e f o r e s h o u l d m e e t t h e
r e q u i r e m e n t s t h i s s e c t i o n . T h e P a n e l ' s D e c i s i o n T h e l e g i s l a t i o n s t a t e s t h a t i n o r d e r f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t a p p e l l a n t m u s t , a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , b e m o v i n g w i t h u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a t o m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e T h e 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 h i s n e w p l a c e o f r a d j a c e n t 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 a r e a , b u t a r a p p e l l a n t i n d i c a t e d t h a t h e a n d h i s w i f e s e a r c h e d w u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a s a n d w a s f o r c e d t o l o o k i n n e i g u n t i l h e l o c a t e d a m o d u l a r h o m e p a r k t h a t w o u l d a c h i m b y a f r i e n d . S e c t i o n ( 2 ) ( d ) , h o w e v e r , i s c l e a r i n t h a t m i n i s t r y i s p r e q u i r e d , a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , t o m o v e w i t h i n o r t o a t h e s h e l t e r c o s t s 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 t h e r e a s o n s h e m o v e d t o a n e i g h b o r i n g m u n i c i p a l i t y u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t h e w a s u n a b l e t o f i n d s u i t a b l e a c c o a d j a c e n t t o h i s m u n i c i p a l i t y t h e l e g i s l a t i o n c l e a r l y s t a a d j a c e n t m u n i c i p a l i t y " a n d t h e r e f o r e p r e v e n t s t h e m c o s t s . F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e t o r t o a n a d j a c e n t 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 a r e E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )t o b e e l i g i b l e f o r a m o v i n g s u p p l e m e n t t h e i n o r t o a n a d j a c e n t m u n i c i p a l i t y o r c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( d ) . e s i d e n c e i s n o t w i t h i n h i s m u n i c i p a l i t y o r a n g u e d t h a t i t w a s a p a r t o f t h e s a m e d i s t r i c t . T h e i t h i n h i s m u n i c i p a l i t y , a d j a c e n t m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a n d h b o r i n g m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a n d u n i n c o r p o r a t e d a r e a s c e p t h i s 1 9 7 2 m o d u l a r h o m e t h a t w a s g i f t e d t o e r m i t t e d t o a s s i s t s w i t h m o v i n g c o s t s t h a t a r e n a d j a c e n t 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 a r e a i f r e s u l t o f t h e m o v e . T h e a p p e l l a n t a d m i t s t h a t w e r e b e y o n d h i s c o n t r o l a n d w h i l e i t i s m m o d a t i o n s t h a t w e r e i n h i s m u n i c i p a l i t y o r t e s t h a t t h e m o v e m u s t b e " w i t h i n " o r " t o a n i n i s t r y f r o m a s s i s t i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t w i t h h i s m o v i n g 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 m o v e w i t h i n a p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 5 ( 2 ) ( d ) .
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.