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 a n d P o v e r t y R e d u c t i o n ( " t h e m i n i s t r y " ) d a t e d 0 5 n o t e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . T h e m i n i s t r y a s s e t s i n h i s b a n k a c c o u n t e x c e e d s t h e a l l o w a b i n s e c t i o n 1 1 ( 2 ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a t h a t t h e m i n i s t e r i s n o t s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a d i s a b i l i t i e s ( P W D ) d e s i g n a t i o n a n d t h a t t h e r e f o r 1 1 ( 2 . 1 ) o f t h e E A R d o e s n o t a p p l y t o h i m . 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 R e g u l a t i o n ( E A R ) n d e c i s i o n o f t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 t h a t f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e v a l u e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c a s h l e l i m i t o f $ 2 0 0 0 f o r a s o l e a p p l i c a n t a s s p e c i f i e d n c e R e g u l a t i o n ( A E R ) . T h e m i n i s t r y a l s o h e l d n t h a s a g e n u i n e i n t e n t t o a p p l y f o r p e r s o n w i t h e t h e a s s e t l i m i t o f $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 a s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n , s e c t i o n s 1 1 ( 2 ) a n d 1 1 ( 2 . 1 ) .
P A R T E S U M M A R Y O F F A C T S T h e i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e 1 . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s A p p l i c a t i o n f o r A s s i s t a n c A c c o r d i n g t o m i n i s t r y r e c o r d s , w i t h h i s a p b a n k a c c o u n t . 2 . F r o m t h e m i n i s t r y ' s f i l e s , a s r e p o r t e d i n t T h e m i n i s t r y s e n t a m e s s a g e t o t h e i n q u i r i n g i f h e w a s i n t e n d i n g o n a p p r e p l i e d o n 1 7 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 , " I a m d i s a b i l i t i e s ) s t a t u s a s I w i l l o n l y b e d a n d t h e r e f o r e n o t m e e t i n g s o m e r e q 3 . T h e a p p e 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 t h e a p p e l l a n t w r i t e s : " I w o u l d l i k e t o m a k e a r e q u e s t f o r r e o f t h e p r i o r e m a i l , p l e a s e c h e c k f i l e , b h a v e r e n t t o p a y a n d a m i n c a p a b l e o a s o f D e c e m b e r 2 w i l l b e l e s s t h a n $ a s i t i s w i n t e r a n d s h e n e e d s m e t o h W i t h h i 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 • A " T o w h o m i t m a y c o n c e r n " l e tt e r d a t e d 0 7 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 , w h o w r i t " D u e t o [ t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s ] i n j u ry i n a n o r m a l c a p a c i t y t h e r e fo r e s c h e d u l e d f o r s u r g e ry D e c e m a d d i t i o n a l t h r e e m o n t h s o f f f o r S h o u l d y o u r e q u i r e a n y a d d i t i o n u m b e r o f p h y s i c i a n ] . " • A n u p d a t e d b a n k p r o f i l e , u n d a t e d , • A n O c t o b e r a n d N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 r o c c u p a t i o n a l t h e r a p y s e r v i c e s . N o t i c e o f A p p e a l 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 i s d a t e d 0 5 D e q u o t e s f r o m 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 : " T h e g e n u i n e i n t e n t t o a p p l y f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n a n y o u . " H e t h e n w r i t e s , " P l e a s e r e v i e w o u r t r a n s c s o . "r a t i o n i n c l u d e d : e ( P a rt 2 ) , d a t e d 3 0 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 7 . p l i c a t i o n t h e a p p e l l a n t d e c l a r e d $ 5 , 7 9 9 . 9 9 i n a 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 : a p p e l l a n t v i a i t ' s o n l i n e M y S e l f S e r v e f a c i l i t y l y i n g f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n , a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t n o t s u r e r e g a r d i n g P W D ( p e r s o n s w i t h i s a b l e d f o r a b o u t t h r e e m o n t h s p o s t o p e r a t i o n , u i r e m e n t s ( r e g a r d i n g t h e l e n g t h o f t i m e ) . " a t i o n d a t e d 2 3 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 . U n d e r R e a s o n s , c o n s i d e r a t i o n b a s e d o n t h e a t t a c h e d d o c u m e n t s e a r i n g m y r e a s o n f o r a p p l y i n g f o r a s s i s t a n c e . I f w o r k i n g , m y a v a i l a b l e b a l a n c e i s $ 4 , 4 1 9 . 8 9 a n d 4 , 0 0 0 . M y m o t h e r ' s b u s i n e s s h a s s l o w e d d o w n e l p o u t w i t h r e n t a n d u t i l i t i e s . " e a p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p e r s o n a l c a r e c o o r d i n a t o r , e s : t o h i s l e ft w r i s t h e i s u n a b l e t o u s e h i s l e f t h a n d h e i s u n a b l e t o w o r k a t t h i s t i m e . H e i s b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 7 a n d i s e x p e c t e d t o n e e d a n r e c o v e ry f o l l o w i n g t h e p r o c e d u r e . n a l i n f o r m a t i o n p l e a s e c o n t a c t [ n a m e a n d p h o n e s h o w i n g 4 , 4 1 9 . 8 9 i n h i s a c c o u n t . e n t i n v o i c e , a n M S P i n v o i c e a n d a n i n v o i c e f o r c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 . U n d e r R e a s o n s , t h e a p p e l l a n t m i n i s t e r d e t e r m i n e s y o u h a v e n o t i n d i c a t e d a d t h e r e f o r e s e c t i o n 1 1 ( 2 . 1 ) d o e s n o t a p p l y t o r i p t s , I h a v e i n d i c a t e d j u s t t h a t a n d c o n t i n u e t o d o
T h e h e a r i n g W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f b o t h p a r t i e s , t h e h e a r i n g w a 2 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o ym e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c I n a s u b m i s s i o n b e f o r e t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a t h e f i r s t d a t e d 0 8 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 , h e a d e d " R e q " I h a v e n o c u r r e n t E l c l a i m t o m a k e , n o p a n d [ a n o t h e r c i t y ] t h i s s u m m e r p a s t w h e n w h a t I ' m r e q u e s t i n g , w h a t d o y o u t h i n k ? I a m s t a y i n g w i t h m y m o t h e r , l i v i n g o ff s a b u t d u e t o c o m p l i c a t i o n s ( m a l f o r m e d s c a m y p r o d u c t i v i t y f o r a f u rt h e r 1 2 w e e k s f r o T h e l a s t 6 0 d a y b a n k s t a t e m e n t w a s a p r i s a s c r e e n s h o t o f t h e a c t u a l w e b s i t e , t h a T h e s e c o n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n i s d a t e d 1 7 N o v e m i n f o r m a t i o n . " T h i s r e a d s t h e s a m e a s q u o t e d i n y o u . " T h e b a l a n c e 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 g o e s D e c i s i o n , b e l o w ) I n a n e m a i l d a t e d 0 2 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 t h e m i n i s t r y t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s u m m a r y p r o v i d e d i n t h e R A d m i s s i b i l i t y o f a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n A s t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s r e f e r r e d t o b y t h e a p p e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , t h e p a n e l a c c e p t s t h e a p p e l l a n a r g u m e n t .s c o n d u c t e d i n w r i t i n g p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n t . n t r e fe r s t o tw o c o m m u n i c a t i o n s w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y , u e s t m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n . " H e w r i t e s : h y s i c a l R O E e i t h e r b u t I w a s e m p l o y e d i n [ c i t y ] I s n a p p e d m y w r i s t . P e r h a p s P W D s t a t u s i s v i n g s a n d w a s p r e s u m e d t o b e h e a l e d b y n o w p h o i d ) I a m i n n e e d o f s u r g e r y w h i c h h a m p e r s m D e c e m b e r 2 1 o n . i n t a b l e v e r s i o n f r o m t h e [ b a n k ] w e b s i t e , t h i s o n e n k s . " b e r 2 0 1 7 , h e a d e d " R e q u e s t f o r m o r e p a r a . 2 a b o v e , b u t e n d s " P l e a s e a d v i s e . T h a n k t o a r g u m e n t ( s e e P a r t F , R e a s o n s fo r P a n e l s t a t e s t h a t i t s s u b m i s s i o n i n t h i s m a t t e r w i l l b e e c o r d o f M i n i s t r y D e c i s i o n . l l a n t i n h i s s u b m i s s i o n w e r e b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t ry a t t ' s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l a n d s u b m i s s i o n a s
PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION The issue in this appeal is whether the ministry was reasonable in finding that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance. More specifically, the issue is whether the following ministry determinations are reasonably supported by the evidence or are a reasonable application of the legislation in the circumstances of the appellant: • The value of the appellant's cash assets in his bank account exceeds the allowable limit of $2000 for a sole applicant as specified in section 11 (2) of the EAR); and • The minister is no t satisfied that the appellant has a genuine intent to apply for person with disabilities (PWD) designation and that therefore the asset limit of $100,000 as set out in section 11 (2.1) of the EAR does not apply to him. The relevant legislation is from the EAR: Definitions 1 (1) In this regulation: "asset" means (a)equity in any real or personal property that can be converted to cash, (b)a beneficial interest in real or personal property held in trust, or (c) cash assets; Asset limits 11 (1) The following assets are exempt for the purposes of subsections (2) and (2.1 ): [a list of 46 different types of assets, none of which the appellant argues apply to this appeal] (2)A family unit is not eligible for income assistance if any of the following apply: (a)subject to paragraph (c), a sole applicant or sole recipient has no dependent children and has assets with a total value of more than $2 000; (b) subject to paragraph (c), an applicant or a recipient has one or more dependants and the family unit has assets with a total value of more than $4 000; (c)one applicant or recipient in the family unit receives accommodation and care in a private hospital or a special care facility, other than an alcohol or drug treatment centre, or is admitted to a hospital for extended care, and the family unit has assets with a total value of more than $100 000; (d)2 applicants or recipients in the family unit receive accommodation and care in a private hospital or a special care facility, other than an alcohol or drug treatment centre, or are admitted to a hospital for extended care, and the family unit has assets with a total value of more than $200 000. (2.1) Despite subsection (2), a family unit that includes an applicant or a recipient who has applied for and has not been denied, or who the minister is satisfied has a genuine intention to apply for, designation as a person with disabilities under section 2 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act may receive income assistance, subject to all other eligibility criteria, if the family unit has assets with a total value of no more than (a) in the case of a family unit that includes one applicant or recipient who has annlied for and has not been denied, or who the minister is satisfied has a qenuine
i n t e n t i o n t o a p p l y f o r , d e s i g ( b ) i n t h e c a s e o f a f a m i l y u a p p l i e d f o r a n d h a v e n o t b e i n t e n t i o n t o a p p l y f o r , d e s i g A n a l y s i s T h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t , a s e x p l a i n e d i n h i h i s a p p e a l i s f o u n d e d o n t h e f a c t t h a t h e w a s i g r e q u e s t f o r P W D s t a t u s . H e w r i t e s t h a t h e c e rt a c o m m u n i c a t i o n s w i t h t h e m i n i s t ry t h a t h e s t a t e s T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t , w h i l e h e w a s r e q u e s m o v e t o P W D s t a t u s , h e w a s f o r m a l l y p r o c e s s e n o w s e e s t h a t h e w a s i n t e r f a c i n g w i t h w h a t h e t d e s i g n e d t o c o n c l u d e t h e i n t e r a c t i o n . " H e t h e n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 7 ( s e e P a r t F a b o v e ) . T h e a p p e l l a n t e x p l a i n s t h a t h e n e v e r r e c e i v e d a t h e s e c o n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n , a n d a r g u e s t h a t t h e H e w r i t e s t h a t h e f e e l s i t s h o u l d b e n o t e d t h a t , b w a i t e d m a n y m o n t h s f o r h i s w r i s t t o h e a l b e f o r e b r o k e n a n d s o m e n e w b o n e g r a f t e d i n t o t h e a r e c l e a r t o t h e m i n i s t e r a t l e a s t a m o n t h a g o . H e h m e d i c a l i n s u r a n c e b i l l s , h e c a n n o t w o r k a n d h e t i m e h e i s e x p e c t e d b y t h e d o c t o r t o b e r e c o v e r T h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t r y , a s s e t o u t i n t h e r e b a n k a c c o u n t m e e t s t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " a s s e t " u n s t a n d i n g t o h i s c r e d i t w i t h a s a v i n g s i n s t i t u t i o n a A l t h o u g h t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s i n d i c a t e d t h a t a s o f i n h i s a c c o u n t , t h e m i n i s t ry n o t e d t h a t t h e m o s t c u r r e n t l y $ 4 , 4 1 9 . 8 9 , a n a m o u n t t h a t e x c e e d s t h s p e c i f i e d i n E A R s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 2 ) . A s t h e b a l a n c e i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b a n k a c c o u n t f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e i n d e t e r m " c a s h a s s e t s " a n d t h e r e f o r e m e e t t h e d e f i n i t i o n p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y w a s a l s o r e a s o n a b r e c e n t i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m i n i s t r y , t h e t i m e o f 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 a l s o f o u n d t h a t t h e r e a r e n o e x e m o f t h e E A R . T h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t a r g u e t h a t a r e v i e w e d t h e 4 6 d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f a s s e t s l i s t e d p r o v i d e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t h i s a s s e t f a l l s i n t w a s r e a s o n a b l e i n d e t e r m i n i n a t h a t n o n e o f t h e n a t i o n a s a p e r s o n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , $ 1 0 0 0 0 0 , o r n i t t h a t i n c l u d e s 2 a p p l i c a n t s o r r e c i p i e n t s w h o h a v e e n d e n i e d , o r w h o t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d h a v e a g e n u i n e n a t i o n a s a p e r s o n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , $ 2 0 0 0 0 0 . s s u b m i s s i o n o n a p p e a l , i s t h a t t h e p r e m i s e o f n o r e d o r d e n i e d i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g h i s i n l y p r o v i d e d g e n u i n e i n t e n t a n d r e f e r s t o w e r e n o t i n c l u d e d i n t h e a p p e a l r e c o r d . t i n g 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 s i t u a t i o n a n d a d . H e t h o u g h t h e w a s h e l p i n g b u t i n h i n d s i g h t h e e r m s " s t o c k , s o m e w h a t f i t t i n g , p a s t e d r e s p o n s e s q u o t e s v e r b a t i m t h e e m a i l s h e s e n t o n 0 8 a n d 1 7 n a n s w e r t o t h e s e q u e s t i o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h a t i n r e w a s n o m i s t a k i n g t h e i n t e n t i o n o f t h a t e m a i l . e fo r e h e m a d e a n y r e q u e s t f o r a s s i s t a n c e , h e f i n d i n g o u t t h a t h e w o u l d n e e d t o h a v e i t r e  a . I f h e q u a l i f i e s f o r P W D t h i s s h o u l d h a v e b e e n a s r e n t t o p a y , u n c o v e r e d m e d i c a l b i l l s a n d w i l l h a v e b e e n d i s a b l e d f o r e i g h t m o n t h s b y t h e e d . c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , i s t h a t t h e v a l u e o f h i s d e r s e c t i o n 1 o f t h e E A R b e c a u s e i t i s m o n e y n d i s t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r e d a c a s h a s s e t . 0 2 D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 h e w i l l h a v e l e s s t h a n $ 4 , 0 0 0 r e c e n t i n f o r m a t i o n c o n f i r m s h i s b a l a n c e i s e a l l o w a b l e l i m i t o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 f o r a s o l e a p p l i c a n t a s i s a v a i l a b l e t o h i m a s c a s h o n d e m a n d , t h e p a n e l i n i n g t h a t t h e f u n d s i n h i s b a n k a c c o u n t a r e o f " a s s e t " u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 ( 1 ) o f t h e E A R . T h e l e i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t , o n t h e b a s i s o f t h e m o s t v a l u e o f t h i s a s s e t e x c e e d e d t h e $ 2 0 0 0 a t t h e p t i o n s l i s t e d f o r t h i s t y p e o f a s s e t i n s e c t i o n 1 1 ( 1 ) n y o f t h e s e e x e m p t i o n s a p p l y . T h e p a n e l h a s i n s e c t i o n 1 1 ( 1 ) , a n d w i t h o u t a n y i n f o r m a t i o n o o n e o f t h e s e c a t e g o r i e s , f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y s e e x e m p t i o n s a P P I V t o t h e a n n e l l a n t ' s a s s e t s .
In its decision, the ministry recognized that the appellant has a medical condition that is currently preventing him from working. However, the ministry determined that the appellant has not indicated a genuine intent to apply for PWD designation and theref o re EAR section 11 (2.1) does not apply to him. The legislation requires that the minister be "satisfied" that the person has a genuine intention to apply for PWD designation. In the panel's view, for the minister to be "satisfied" with this intention, it is reasonable for the ministry to expect the person to provide the ministry with a definitive statement of intent, or would be demonstrated by a request to the ministry for the Persons with Disabilities Designation Application booklet. In this case, the evidence is that the ministry asked the appellant whether he was intending on applying for PWD designation, and in his response on 17 November 2017 the appellant stated that, "I am not sure regarding PWD status," going on to explain that he will be disabled for only about three months post-operation and "therefore not meeting some of requirements (regarding length of time)." He concluded by asking, "Please advise." The panel considers it unreasonable for the appellant to expect the ministry, without a complete picture of the nature, duration, severity, and impacts of his impairments as would be documented in a PWD Designation Application, to respond by prejudging an adjudication of any application that might be made. Based on the evidence, the panel theref o re finds that the ministry was reasonable in determining that the appellant has not indicated a genuine intent to apply f o r PWD designation and that therefore EAR section 11 (2.1) does not apply to him. Conclusion Based on the foregoing, the panel finds that the ministry's decision determining that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance is reasonably supported by the evidence. The panel therefore confirms the ministry's decision. The appellant is thus not successful in this appeal.
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.