I APPEAL' PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the reconsideration decision of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "ministry") dated September 2, 2014, in which the ministry denied the appellant's request for a crisis supplement of $1299.65 to do 50 loads of laundry, dry cleaning, and 12 hours of professional cleaning, as he did not meet the criteria set out in section 57(1) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR). The ministiy acknowledged that the fire in the appellant's apartment building was unexpected as there was no way to anticipate an apartment fire, and that the appellant did not have the financial resources available to cover the cost for the requested item. However, based on the information provided by the Supervisor of the Outreach Team and the building manager, the ministry determined that it was unable to establish that smoke damage to the appellant's apartment exists, necessitating such an extreme unexpected expense, as his apartment is located in a section of the building which was not deemed to be affected. Furthermore, the ministry determined that based on insufficient evidence to establish that an unexpected expense exists, and insufficient evidence, such as a doctor's letter confirming an effect on the appellant's health, failure to receive funding for the requested items will not result in imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit. PART D -Relevant Legislation Section 5 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act (EAPWDA) Section 57(1) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR)
P A R T E S u m m a r y o f F a c t s E v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f R e c o n s i d e r a • A fa x t r a n s m i s s i o n c o v e r s h e e t f r o m t h e a p p e l l a e x t e n s i o n t o p r e p a r e fo r t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s R e q u e s t • A R e l e a s e o f l n f o r m a t i o n s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n p e r m i s s i o n t o r e l e a s e a n y a n d a l l i n f o r m a t i o n c o fu r t h e r a g r e e d t o r e l e a s e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e m i n s p e c t i o n d e p a r t m e n t f r o m a n y a n d a l l l i a b i l i t i e d o c u m e n t s , r e c o r d s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e a p p e a p p e l l a n t ' s R e q u e s t o f R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a s k i n g fo 2 0 1 4 . • A f a x t r a n s m i s s i o n c o v e r s h e e t f r o m t h e a p p e l l a a p p e l l a n t ' s p r e v i o u s l y s u b m i t t e d R e l e a s e o f I n f o 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 s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e r e a d y f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n • A l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e d a t e d A u g d e s c r i b e d b y t h e a d v o c a t e l e a d i n g u p t o t h e a p p e c o n t a i n s a r g u m e n t a s t o w h y t h e a d v o c a t e b e l i e v b e n e f i t w h i c h i s a d d r e s s e d b y t h e p a n e l i n P a r t F M i n i s t r y r e c o r d s i n c l u d e a m o n g s t o t h e r t h i n g s t h e fo l l o w • O n J u l y 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t c o n t a c t e d t h e m i n h i s a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g i n M a y 2 0 1 4 , w h i c h c a b u i l d i n g . T h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u e s t e d f u n d s f o r t h e n e c e s s a r y b y t h e f i r e . • J u l y 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t w a s d e n i e d • O n A u g u s t 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d h i s A u g u s t 2 7 , 2 0 1 4 , fr o m h i s a d v o c a t e . T h i s l e t t e r i n f o r m a t i o n : • O n M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 , a s e r i o u s f i r e i n t h e a p p e l l a t h r o u g h o u t t h e s u r r o u n d i n g 9 t h fl o o r a p a r t m e n • D u r i n g t h e f i r e t h e e l e v a t o r i n t h e a p a r t m e n t b s m o k e w a s a l r e a d y f i l l i n g t h e h a l l w a y . T h e a r e l i e s o n a w h e e l c h a i r f o r m o b i l i t y . • A fu l l y g e a r e d f i r e f i g h t e r w a n t e d t o r e m o v e t h a p p e l l a n t d e c l i n e d t h e o ff e r f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g 1 . C o n c e rn s f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s e c u r i t y , m n u t r i t i o n n e e d s o u t s i d e o f h i s a p a r t m e n 2 . L a c k o f k n o w l e d g e t h a t E m e r g e n c y S e t o r e c i p i e n t s a f f e c t e d , w h o l e ft t h e i r a p 3 . B e l i e f t h a t n o a d e q u a t e s u p p o r t w o u l d g o v e rnm e n t a g e n c i e s . 4 . C o n c e r n fo r t h e s e c u r i t y o f h i s t e n a n c y • A f f e c t e d t e n a n t s w h o l e ft t h e b u i l d i n g a n d w 3 n i g h t s ' a c c o m m o d a t i o n a s w e l l a s f o o d a n d • A i r s a m p l e s w e r e t a k e n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s u i s t i l l p e n d i n g .I A P P E A L t i o n i n c l u d e s t h e f o l l o w i n g : n t ' s a d v o c a t e d a t e d A u g u s t 7 , 2 0 1 4 , r e q u e s t i n g a n f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . t J u n e 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e a p p e l l a n t g a v e t h e m i n i s t r y n c e rn i n g h i s a p p e a l t o t h e a d v o c a t e . T h e a p p e l l a n t i n i s t r y , t h e c i t y fi r e d e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e c i t y p e r m i t s a n d s t h a t m a y b e o c c a s i o n e d b y t h e r e l e a s e o f s u c h l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e . A l s o i n c l u d e d w a s a c o p y o f t h e r a 2 0 d a y e x t e n s i o n , s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t A u g u s t 7 , n t ' s a d v o c a t e d a t e d A u g u s t 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 , a c o p y o f t h e r m a t i o n d a t e d J u n e 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 , a c o p y o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s l l a n t A u g u s t 7 , 2 0 1 4 , s t a t i n g t h a t t h i s r e q u e s t i s n o w u s t 2 7 , 2 0 1 4 , w h i c h p r o v i d e s a s u m m a r y o f e v e n t s a s l l a n t ' s 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 h i s l e t t e r a l s o e s t h e a p p e l l a n t i s e n t i t l e d t o r e c e i v e t h e r e q u e s t e d o f t h i s d e c i s i o n . i n g : i n i s t r y t o r e q u e s t a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t . T h e r e w a s a fi r e u s e d s e v e r e d a m a g e t o m a n y o f t h e a p a r t m e n t s i n t h e c o s t o f l a u n d r y a n d c l e a n i n g w h i c h h e s a i d w e r e m a d e b y t h e m i n i s t r y . 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 a l o n g w i t h a l e t t e r d a t e d p r o v i d e d a m o n g s t o t h e r t h i n g s t h e f o l l o w i n g n t ' s b u i l d i n g c a u s e d m a j o r s m o k e a n d fi r e d a m a g e t s . u i l d i n g w a s d i s a b l e d , a n d w h e n t h e a p p e l l a n t c h e c k e d p p e l l a n t w e n t o u t o n h i s d e c k t o a v o i d t h e s m o k e a s h e e a p p e l l a n t f r o m t h e a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g b u t t h e r e a s o n s : o b i l i t y a n d a b i l i t y t o a c c e s s b a s i c d a i l y h e a l t h a n d t . r v i c e s w o u l d p r o v i d e s u p p o r t t o t e n a n t s , a n d a s s i s t a n c e a r t m e n t d u r i n g t h e f i r e . b e o f f e r e d b e y o n d i m m e d i a t e n e e d s b y c o m m u n i t y o r . e r e d i r e c t l y c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e O u t r e a c h T e a m r e c e i v e d c l o t h i n g v o u c h e r s , w h i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t . t e a s c o n t r a c t e d b y t h e l a n d l o r d , r e s u l t s o f t h e t e s t i n g
• T h e d a m a g e o f c o n c e rn t o t h e a p p e l l a n t i s o n a p p e l l a n t ' s s u i t e w h i c h i n c l u d e s o d o r , r e s i d u • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s r e q u e s t i n g $ 1 2 9 9 . 6 5 t o c o v e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h i n c l u d i n g $ 1 8 7 . 5 0 f o r c o n v e p r o f e s s i o n a l c l e a n i n g o f s u r f a c e s i n t h e a p a r p i l l o w s , l O s w e a t e r s , 4 p a i r s o f p a n t s a n d 4 c T h e a d v o c a t e ' s l e t t e r a l s o c o n t a i n e d a r g u m e n t s a s t o w h b e n e f i t w h i c h t h e p a n e l w i l l a d d r e s s i n P a r t F o f t h i s d e A ft e r t h e 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 a n d p r i o r t • A fa x e d c o p y o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s C o n s e n t f o r R e l e i n f o r m a t i o n p e r t a i n i n g t o h i s a p p e a l w i t h h i s a d v O c t o b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 . A f a x e d c o p y o f 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 , s e n t t 2 0 1 4 , a n d s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t O c t o b e r 2 , 2 0 1 4 . A c o p y o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s u b m i s s i o n w i t h r e s p e c t t o h i s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e N o v e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 . T h i s s u b m e v e n t s l e a d i n g u p t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s u b m i s s i o n o f h i s N a d v o c a t e b e l i e v e s t h e a p p e l l a n t i s e n t i t l e d t o r e c e i v e t h e b y t h e p a n e l i n P a r t F o f t h i s d e c i s i o n . A c c o m p a n y i n g t p h y s i c i a n w r i t t e n t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d a c o p y o f a l e t t e r C o o r d i n a t o r o f t h e C i t y E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t A g e n c T h e p h y s i c i a n ' s l e t t e r r e p o r t s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s C h r o b e e n e x a c e r b a t e d s i n c e t h e f i r e i n h i s a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g t h r e e d i f f e r e n t i n h a l a n t s d u e t o s h o r t n e s s o f b r e a t h , i n c r e h e h a s h a d b e f o r e b u t n e v e r fo r t h i s l o n g o r t h i s s e v e r e a d a i l y h e a d a c h e s f o r t h i s p e r i o d o f t i m e . T h i s i s c o n s i s t e d a m a g e e x a c e r b a t i n g h i s C O P D . H e d o e s c o n t i n u e t o s m a n d d i d n ' t h a v e t h i s c o l l e c t i o n o f s y m p t o m s . T h e l e t t e r fr o m t h e E m e r g e n c y C o o r d i n a t o r o f t h e C i t y ' s 2 0 1 4 , r e p o r t s t h a t t h e l e t t e r w a s w r i t t e n i n r e s p o n s e t o a n f r o m t h e f i r e c h r o n i c l e d b e l o w . T h e l e t t e r s t a t e s o n M a y e x p e r i e n c e d a d a m a g i n g fi r e . T h e f i r e s t a r t e d i n a s u i t e 1 0 t h , 1 1 t h a n d 1 2 t h f l o o r s a n d w a t e r d a m a g e o c c u r r e d o n h a l l w a y o n t h e 9 t h fl o o r w e r e c o v e r e d i n d a r k b l a c k s m o f i r e w e r e o b s e r v e d t o h a v e a h a z e o f s m o k e l i n g e r i n t h e fr o m t h e fi r e t o f i l l t h e c o m m o n h a l l w a y s a n d t r a v e l t h r o p r o t e c t i o n , o r r e d u c t i o n i n d a m a g e , t h o u g h m o s t o f t h e d o b s e r v e d i n o t h e r s u i t e s o n t h e fl o o r o f t h e f i r e a s w e l l a t h e r e w a s n o f i r e d o o r s e p a r a t i o n f r o m o n e e n d o f t h e h a t r a v e l fr e e l y i n t h e c o m m o n a r e a o n t h a t fl o o r . S m o k e c t o u c h . I t c a n a l s o c a u s e d a m a g e t h a t i s n o t e a s i l y o b s e r v I A P P E A L . t h e s u r f a c e s o f s o ft m a t e r i a l s a n d f a b r i c s o f t h e e s a n d d i s c o l o r a t i o n . r c l e a n i n g c o s t s t o p r e v e n t i m m i n e n t h a r m t o h i s n t i o n a l l a u n d r y o f c l o t h i n g a n d l i n e n s , $ 5 2 0 . 0 0 fo r t m e n t a n d $ 5 9 2 . 1 5 fo r d r y c l e a n i n g o f a c o m f o r t e r , 8 o a t s . y s h e b e l i e v e s t h e a p p e l l a n t s h o u l d r e c e i v e t h e r e q u e s t e d c i s i o n o t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : a s e o f I n f o r m a t i o n a l l o w i n g t h e m i n i s t r y t o s h a r e a l l o c a t e . T h i s d o c u m e n t w a s s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t o n o t h e m i n i s t r y b y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e O c t o b e r 9 , N o t i c e o f A p p e a l w a s f a x e d t o t h e T r i b u n a l O ff i c e b y i s s i o n c o n t a i n e d a m o n g s t o t h e r t h i n g s , a c h r o n o l o g y o f o t i c e o f A p p e a l , a l o n g w i t h a r g u m e n t a s t o w h y t h e r e q u e s t e d b e n e f i t . T h e s e a r g u m e n t s w i l l b e a d d r e s s e d h e s u b m i s s i o n w a s a n u n d a t e d l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 , f r o m t h e E m e r g e n c y y t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a d v o c a t e . n i c O b s t r u c t i v e P u l m o n a r y D i s e a s e ( C O P D ) w h i c h h a s t o o k p l a c e M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 . H e h a s t r i p l e d h i s u s e o f a s e d s p u t u m p r o d u c t i o n , c o u g h . T h e s e a r e s y m p t o m s n d i t s t a r t e d a ft e r t h e f i r e . H e a l s o h a s b e e n h a v i n g n t w i t h a i r c o n t a m i n a n t s s u c h a s d u s t , m o u l d , s m o k e o k e w h i c h c o m p l i c a t e s t h i s b u t w a s s m o k i n g b e f o r e E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t A g e n c y d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 4 , i n q u i r y f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t w h o l i v e s d o w n t h e h a l l 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g o n t h e 9 t h f l o o r . S m o k e d a m a g e o c c u r r e d o n t h e 9 t \ a l l o t h e r f l o o r s b e l o w t h e fi r e . T h e h a l l s i n t h e c o m m o n k e a s a r e s u l t o f t h i s f i r e . M a n y s u i t e s o n t h e d a y o f t h e a i r . I n a p a r t m e n t fi r e s i t i s v e r y c o m m o n fo r s m o k e u g h o u t t h a t l e v e l o f t h e b u i l d i n g . D o o r s c a n o ff e r s o m e o o r w a y s s t i l l a l l o w s m o k e t o p a s s . S m o k e i s o ft e n s s o m e s u i t e s a b o v e t h e f i r e ; i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b u i l d i n g l l w a y t o t h e o t h e r , w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t s m o k e c o u l d a n c a u s e d a m a g e t h a t i s o b s e r v a b l e b y s i g h t o r b y a b l e t o s i g h t a n d t o u c h . S m o k e s e t t l e s a n d c a n l e a v e
m i n u t e p a r t i c l e s o n s u r f a c e s . T h e s e p a r t i c l e s c a n b e i m I n t h e a b s e n c e o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l t e s t i n g i t i s g o o d p r a c t i t h e i r h o m e t o c l e a n t h e i r w a l l s , s u r f a c e s a n d b e l o n g i n g s A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d p i c t u r e s h e h a d t o u t s i d e h i s d o o r d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h e d a m a g e t h a t o c c u r r e o n M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e m i n i s t r y w a s a s k e d i f t h e y h a d a s u i t e t o a s s e s s d a m a g e t h a t m a y h a v e r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e p r e s e n t e d a r g u m e n t s f o u n d i n h e r s u b m i s s i o n a s t o w h y r e q u e s t e d b e n e f i t w h i c h t h e p a n e l w i l l a d d r e s s i n P a p: F T h e m i n i s t r y s t o o d b y t h e r e c o r d c l a r i f y i n g t h a t n e i t h e r m a n a g e r h a d i n s p e c t e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t t o e v a l I n 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 t h e a d v o c a t e a c a p a r t m e n t h a d b e e n t a k e n b u t t h e r e s u l t s o f t h e t e s t i n g h T h e p a n e l a d m i t t e d t h e a d v o c a t e s w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n w p h y s i c i a n p r o v i d i n g e x p e r t t e s t i m o n y r e g a r d i n g t h e a p p fr o m t h e E m e r g e n c y C o o r d i n a t o r o f t h e C i t y E m e r g e n c i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e f i r e d o o r s i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a b o u t d a m a g e l i k e l y t o o c c u r a ft e r a s e r i o u s f i r e , a n d t h e u n d e r s . 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A A a s t h e y w e r e f o u n d t o b e i n s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e m i n i s t r y d i d n o t o b j e c t . F i n d i n g s o f F a c t • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s i n r e c e i p t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c • T h e a p p e l l a n t u s e s a w h e e l c h a i r f o r m o b i l i t y a n • O n M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t b u i l b u i l d i n g . • T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t l e a v e h i s a p a r t m e n t d u r i n g d a y o f t h e f i r e . • R e q u e s t e d c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t J u l y 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 .I A P P E A L p o s s i b l e t o s e e b u t c a n p e r s i s t i n t h e a r e a u n t i l c l e a n e d . c e f o r p e o p l e w h o e x p e r i e n c e t h e i n g r e s s o f s m o k e i n t o . a k e n o f t h e i n s i d e o f h i s a p a r t m e n t a n d t h e h a l l w a y d d u r i n g t h e f i r e t h a t o c c u r r e d i n h i s a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g r e p o 1 t fr o m a n y o n e w h o h a d e n t e r e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f i r e t o w h i c h t h e y r e s p o n d e d n o . T h e a d v o c a t e s h e b e l i e v e d t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e t h e i f i t s d e c i s i o n t h e S u p e r v i s o r o f t h e O u t r e a c h T e a m o r t h e b u i l d i n g u a t e i t s c o n d i t i o n a f t e r t h e f i r e t o o k p l a c e M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 . k n o w l e d g e d t h a t a i r s a m p l e s o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a v e y e t t o b e m a d e a v a i l a b l e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t . h i c h i n c l u d e d a n u n d a t e d l e t t e r f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e l l a n t ' s h e a l t h , a c o p y o f a l e t t e r d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 , y M a n a g e m e n t A g e n c y a s i t p r o v i d e d a d d i t i o n a l a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g a l o n g w i t h s o m e g e n e r a l i n fo r m a t i o n p i c t u r e s s h o w i n g t h e d a m a g e t h a t r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e f i r e u p p 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 r a t e a n d i s e l i g i b l e t o a p p l y f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t . d h a s b e e n d i a g n o s e d b y h i s p h y s i c i a n w i t h C O P D . d i n g e x p e r i e n c e d a d a m a g i n g f i r e o n h i s f l o o r o f t h e t h e f i r e a n d h a s r e m a i n e d l i v i n g i n h i s h o m e s i n c e t h e
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 t e r m c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t o 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 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 l e g i s l a t i o n o r r e a s o n a b l y s t h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d u p o n t h e f o l l o w i n g : 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 i l i t i e s A c t D i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e a n d s u p p l e m e n t s 5 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 v i d 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 fo r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u C r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t 5 7 ( 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 f o r a 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 x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e c 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 ( 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 ( i ) i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t ( i i ) r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l 5 7 ( 1 ) o f E A P W D R , b e c a u s e i n s u ff i c i e n t e v i d e n c e w a s p a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t e x i s t s , n e c e s s i t a t i n g s u c h a n e x t r e m l e t t e r c o n fi r m i n g a n e ff e c t , a n d d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t f a i l u r 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 o n i n I 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 t h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t S u p e r v i s o r o f t h e O u t r e a c h T e a m t h e fi r e o c c u r r e d i n a n e a s t w i n g o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b u i l d i n g . O n c e t h e f i r e w a s o n t h e e a s t w i n g o f t h e b u i l d i n g w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o r e e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p a r t m e n t i s i n t h e w d o o r s l o c a t e d b e t w e e n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s u i t e a n d w h e r e t h S u p e r v i s o r t h a t s u i t e s i n t h e w e s t w i n g o f t h e b u i l d i n g w w e r e a l l o w e d t o r e e n t e r a n d c o n t i n u e t o l i v e i n t h e i r h o m m a n a g e r a n d c o n fi r m e d t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d i n f o r m a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t o t h e m b y t h e S u p e r v i s o r a n d t h e n e c e s s i t a t i n g s u c h a n e x t e n s i v e u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e i n c l p r o f e s s i o n a l c l e a n i n g f o r a s e c t i o n o f t h e b u i l d i n g t h a t i s A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e m i n i s t r y a c kn o w l e d g e d t h a t u n t i l s h e C o o r d i n a t o r o f t h e C i t y E m e r g e n c y M a n a g e m e n t A g e n c s u b m i s s i o n , s h e h a d n o w a y o f k n o w i n g t h a t t h e r e w e r e h o w e x t e n s i v e t h e s m o k e d a m a g e w a s i n t h e w e s t w i n g o r e l i e d u p o n t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t o t h e m b y t h e S u I A P P E A L i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e a 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 A P W D R w a s a u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e . I n a r r i v i n g a t t h e i r d e c i s i o n e d i s a b i l i t y 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 fo r _ a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s l a t i o n 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 o r h a r d s h i p e f a m i l y u n i t r 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 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 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 i l a b l e t o t h e fa m i l y u n i t , a n d 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 w i l l r e s u l t i n 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 o n i n t h e fa m i l y u n i t , o r 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 ty S e rv i c e A c t . e 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 s s e t o u t i s s e c t i o n r o v i d e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t s m o k e d a m a g e t o t h e e u n e x p e c t e d e x p e n s e , a n d e v i d e n c e s u c h a s a d o c t o r ' s e t o r e c e i v e f u n d i n g f o r t h e r e q u e s t e d i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t w a s n o t p r o v i d e d . b a s e d o n i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d t o t h e m b y t h e a p a r t m e n t l o c a t e d o n t h e 9 t h f l o o r i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e p u t o u t r e s i d e n t s l i v i n g i n a p a r t m e n t s t h a t w e r e l o c a t e d n t e r t h e i r h o m e s a s t h e d a m a g e w a s t o o s e v e r e . T h e e s t w i n g o f t h e b u i l d i n g a n d t h a t t h e r e a r e t w o f i r e e f i r e t o o k p l a c e . T h e m i n i s t r y w a s i n f o r m e d b y t h e e r e n o t s e v e r e l y a f f e c t e d b y t h e f i r e a n d t h o s e t e n a n t s e s . T h e S u p e r v i s o r a l s o c o n t a c t e d t h e b u i l d i n g . T h e m i n i s t r y t h e r e f o r e a r g u e d t h a t b a s e d o n t h e b u i l d i n g m a n a g e r s m o k e d a m a g e d i d n o t e x i s t u d i n g 5 0 l o a d s o f l a u n d r y , d r y c l e a n i n g a n d 1 2 h o u r s o f n o t d e e m e d a ff e c t e d . r e c e i v e d a c o p y o f t h e l e t t e r f r o m t h e E m e r g e n c y y d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 , i n c l u d e d w i t h t h e a d v o c a t e ' s n o f i r e d o o r s o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f l o o r o f t h e b u i l d i n g o r f b u i l d i n g . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e y h a d s i m p l y e r v i s o r a n d b u i l d i n g m a n a g e r w h e n a r r i v i n g a t t h e i r
I APPEAL Reconsideration Decision and that based on the information provided there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate the existence of smoke damage to the appellant's apartment. The ministry also argued that even though the information contained in the appellant's physician's letter does confirm an effect on his health he did not state that the appellant's increased symptoms were directly caused by contaminants resulting from the fire, but rather that they were consistent with contaminants such as dust, mould and smoke damage. The ministry further argued that nowhere in the physician's letter does he state that in his opinion failure to provide the requested item to the appellant would result in imminent danger to his physical health. The ministry also noted that the physician reports that the appellant continues to smoke which complicates this, a habit the appellant stated at the hearing he has had since the age of 14. For these reasons the ministry argued that based on the evidence presented the appellant has not met all of the requirements set out in s. 57(1) of the EAPWDR and is not eligible to receive a crisis supplement. The appellant's position is that he should be eligible to receive a crisis supplement for the restoration of unanticipated smoke damage and residue on surfaces and soft materials in his apartment resulting from a serious fire that took place mere meters down the hall from his apartment on May 15, 2014. Due to his disabilities he is unable to perform these tasks independently and must pay for the services of a professional cleaner. Failure to meet the unexpected expense is currently threatening his physical health, aggravating his COPD and respiratory capacity. At the hearing the advocate argued that the pictures provided to the panel by the appellant clearly demonstrate the degree to which the fire impacted both the hallways and the interior of the appellant's apartment. The advocate also argued that while the ministry's evidence in their Reconsideration Decision was that there were two fire doors between the apartment where the fire occurred and the appellant's apartment this evidence is contradicted by both the appellant's testimony and the information contained in the letter submitted by the Emergency Coordinator of the City Emergency Management Agency. The appellant did however acknowledge at the hearing that some confusion may have arisen as one temporary fire door had been installed after the fire to keep smoke and fire participants from traveling freely throughout the floor. The advocate argued that as the ministry's evidence regarding fire doors and areas of the building which they claimed were not impacted by the fire was clearly refuted by the appellant's oral testimony, pictures taken after the fire and the information contained in the letter from the Coordinator of the City Emergency Management Agency, the appellant has clearly established that the smoke damage he has reported to his apartment does in fact exist. Furthermore, as neither the building manager nor the Supervisor of the Outreach Team inspected the appellant's apartment for smoke damage after the fire, it is unreasonable for the ministry to base their decision to deny the appellant's request for a crisis supplement on the basis of this unfounded assessment. The advocate argued that as the reasons used to deny the appellant a crisis supplement were not supported by substantive evidence, it demonstrates an unreasonable application of s. 57(1) of the EAPWDR. In the appellant's Request for Reconsideration he argued that he has a respiratory illness that is aggravated by the smoke particulates in his apartment. The advocate argued that this is confirmed by a letter from the appellant's physician that states that the appellant's COPD has been exacerbated since the fire in his building took place on May 15, 2014. Specifically the physician states that the appellant has tripled his use of three different inhalants due to shortness of breath, increased sputum production, cough. The physician also reports that these symptoms are consistent with contaminants such as dust mould and smoke damage and clearly indicate a connection between the symptom increase and the fire. The physician also reports that the appellant has experienced daily headaches since the fire.
I APPEAL: The advocate argued that the appellant's original evidence, combined with his supporting evidence; clearly indicate an imminent threat to his physical health. The appellant has already had to live with smoke particulates and smoke damaged clothing and other soft materials since the fire on May 15, 2014, and if he is unable to secure the assistance he requires he faces further deterioration of his health. For these reasons the advocate argued that the appellant should be eligible to receive the requested benefit as he meets all of the eligibility requirements set out ins. 57(1) of the EAPWDR. In the advocate's submission reference was made to Hudson v. Employment and Assistance Tribunal, the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the Collii) confirmed that the legislature had a benevolent purpose when drafting the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and Regulations and that their interpretation must proceed with this benevolent purpose in mind. The court also confirmed that every enactment must be considered remedial in accordance with Section 8 of the Interpretation Act, as such it must be given "such fair, large, and liberal construction and interpretation as best ensures the attainment of its objects." The advocate argued that the benevolent and remedial purpose of Section 57(1) of the Regulation is to support people like the appellant who find themselves in situations where they could not foresee required assistance because there is nowhere else to tum, and face threat to their physical being if they do not receive assistance. The regulation is part of a set of regulations which support the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and are meant to support people with disabilities. The advocate argued that the ministry's Reconsideration Decision was an unreasonable application of s. 57(1) of the EAPWDR as it did not adequately consider the benevolent purpose of the legislation. In addition the ministry went out of their way to try and find evidence to deny the crisis supplement request. In order to achieve the benevolent purposes. 57(1) of the EAPWDR it must be interpreted so as to provide the appellant with a crisis supplement to remove any smoke particulates from his unit. The panel finds there is no dispute by either party regarding the ministry's determination as reported in their Reconsideration Decision. The fire was unexpected, there is no way to anticipate an apartment fire, and the appellant does not have the resources available to cover the cost of $1,299.65 for 50 loads of laundry, dry cleaning and 12 hours of professional cleaning. However, what the ministry disputes is the existence of evidence to demonstrate the need for the requested item. The ministry argued that there were two fire doors between the unit in the building where the fire started and the appellant's apartment, and that his apartment was in a part of the building that was not deemed as affected by the fire. At the hearing, as in the Reconsideration Decision, the ministry acknowledged their findings regarding the existence of smoke damage to the appellant's apartment were based entirely on information provided to them by the Supervisor of the Outreach Team and the building manager, neither of whom entered the appellant's apartment to inspect it for damage after the fire took place on May 15, 2014. At the hearing the appellant and his advocate provided evidence which was in direct conflict with the ministry's evidence. This included the appellant's oral testimony that smoke damage occurred in his apartment, pictures taken by the appellant of his hallway and apartment unit after the fire, showing evidence of smoke and fire damage, and a letter written to the appellant's advocate from the Emergency Coordinator of the City Emergency Management Agency dated October 24, 2014. Amongst other things the letter reports that, "in the appellant's building there was no fire door separation from one end of the hallway to the other, with the result that smoke could travel freely in the common area on that floor." The letter goes on to describe the kind of damage one would typically expect to see in a serious building fire and concludes by stating that in the absence of environmental testing it is good practice for people who experience the ingress of smoke into their home to
I APPEAL clean their walls, surfaces and belongings. As the ministry did not refute any of the aforementioned evidence and did not object to the admissibility of the pictures submitted to the panel at the hearing, or the information provided in the Emergency Coordinator's letter from being admitted under s. 22(4) of the EAA. For these reasons the panel has placed greater weight on the appellant's evidence regarding smoke damage to his apartment than that provided to the ministry by the Supervisor of the Outreach Team, and the building manager. The panel therefore finds that the ministry's determination that there was insufficient evidence to establish the existence of need for the requested benefit is not supported by the evidence and is therefore not a reasonable application of s. 57(l)(a) of the EAPWDR. As to the requirements set out above in s. 57(1) (b) (i), the appellant's undated letter from his physician reports that he has been diagnosed with COPD which has exacerbated since the fire took place in his apartment building May 15, 2014. He has tripled his use of three different inhalants due to shortness of breath, increased sputum production, cough. He has had these symptoms before but never for this long or this severe and it started after the fire. This is consistent with air contaminants such as dust, mould, smoke damage exacerbating his COPD. The appellant continues to smoke which complicates this, however he was smoking before the fire and didn't have this collection of symptoms. The panel finds that as the appellant's physician's letter is undated it has no way to verify when the letter was written or when the physician first saw the appellant after the fire. When asked at the hearing the appellant did not know when he received the letter but thought it was sometime in October. The panel finds that while the physician's letter does confirm an effect on his health since the fire took place he does not state that the appellant's increased symptoms were solely or directly caused by contaminants resulting from the fire, but rather that they were consistent with contaminants such as dust, mould and smoke damage, and adds that the appellant does continue to smoke which complicates his condition. The panel also finds that the physician has provided no indication of what significance tripling the appellant's use of three different inhalants has had, how long ago the dosage was increased, or if there has been any change in his symptoms since that time. The physician has also not reported that in his opinion failure to provide the requested item to the appellant will result in imminent danger to his physical health. The panel further finds that a reasonable interpretation of the meaning of the word "imminent" is immediate or right away and that this interpretation is consistent with the provision of a "crisis supplement". As the fire in the appellant's apartment building took place more than five months ago on May 15, 2014, and the appellant did not apply for a crisis supplement until July 10, 2014, during which time the appellant has continued to undertake his own house cleaning and laundry activities, and as he has not requested to be moved, even on an interim basis during this time, the panel finds that the ministry has reasonably determined that the failure to meet the expense or obtain the item will not result in imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit. For these reasons the panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant has not met the requirement set out above ins. 57(1)(b)(i) of the EAPWDR. In conclusion the panel finds the ministry's determination that the appellant did not meet all of the requirements set out above ins. 57(1) to be eligible for a crisis supplement was reasonably supported by the evidence and is a reasonable application of the applicable Regulation. The panel therefore confirms the ministry's decision.
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