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 M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n d a t e d O c t o b e r 9 , 2 0 1 8 , w h s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g f o r h e r o r h e r c h i l d b e c a u s e d e s c r i b e d i n s e c t i o n 5 9 ( 1 ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A d e t e r m i n e d t h a t • i t i s n o t e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e r e a r e n o a l t e r n a • f a i l u r e t o o b t a i n a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h a p p e l l a n t ' s a n d h e r c h i l d ' s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t . 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 A R s e c t i o n 5 9 ( 1 ) .D e v e l o p m e n t a n d P o v e rt y R e d u c t i o n ( t h e m i n i s t r y ) i c h d e n i e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r a c r i s i s h e r r e q u e s t d o e s n o t m e e t a l l o f t h e e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n ( E A R ) . T h e m i n i s t r y t i v e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e ; a n d i n g d o e s n o t r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e r t o 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 C h il d , F a m il y a n d
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 r a t i T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t w i t h 1 d e p e n d e n t c S h e r e c e i v e s $ 1 2 2 3 . 5 3 p e r m o n t h f o r i n c o m e a s s i s s u p p o rt a l l o w a n c e , $ 5 7 0 f o r a s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e a n F r o m t h i s $ 2 0 i s d e d u c t e d a s a r e p a y m e n t t o t h e m O n S e p t e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d s h e h O n S e p t e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t a d v i s e d s h e r e n t e d a n R V . S h e p r o v i d e d a s h e l t e r i n f o r m a t i o n f o r e s i d e n c e e ff e c t i v e O c t o b e r 1 , 2 0 1 8 w h e r e s h e w o u p r o v i d e d h e r w i t h a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o s e c u r e t h e $ 4 3 5 . O n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 1 8 s h e r e q u e s t e d a c r i s i s s u p a d v i s e d h e r w a l l e t w a s s t o l e n , s h e h a d b e e n t o c o m g e t h y p o t h e r m i a . T h e m i n i s t r y d e n i e d h e r r e q u e s t a r e s u l t i n h e r n e e d f o r c l o t h i n g . O n S e p t e m b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u e s t e d a n h e r p r e v i o u s l a n d l o r d l o c k e d h e r b e l o n g i n g s i n a s h S e p t e m b e r 2 8 . S h e a d v i s e d t h a t d u r i n g h e r m o v e h t a k e h e r t o t h e h o s p i t a l a n d w h i l e s h e w a s t h e r e t h e r e q u e s t w a s d e n i e d . O n O c t o b e r 1 , 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d h e r r e q h e r m o n e y t o p a y h e r d a m a g e d e p o s i t w a s i n h e r w h e r r e s i d e n c e u n t i l s h e p a y s t h e s e c u r i t y d e p o s i t . S c h e q u e . S h e h a s u s e d c o m m u n i t y r e s o u r c e s b u t s h i n t e n d e d o n u s i n g s o m e o f h e r c h e q u e t o p u r c h a s e c u r r e n t l i v i n g s i t u a t i o n . T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a t t e n d . U p o n c o n f i r m i n g t h a t t a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s e c t i o n 8 6 ( b ) o f t h e E A R . A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e m i n i s t r y r e i t e r a t e d t h e r e c o n s i d e r 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t c o u l d h a v e r e q u e s t e d r e c o n s i d e s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g o n S e p t e m b e r 2 4 . T h e r e c o S e p t e m b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 8 d e n i a l o f a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f T h e m i n i s t r y a d d e d t h a t i f a c l i e n t l o s e s a c h e q u e o r o n i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : h i l d . t a n c e . T h i s a m o u n t i n c l u d e s $ 4 7 5 . 5 8 p e r m o n t h f o r a d $ 1 9 7 . 9 5 f o r a f a m i l y b o n u s t o p u p s u p p l e m e n t . i n i s t r y . a s m o v e d . d i d n o t f e e l s a f e a t h e r p r e v i o u s a d d r e s s s o s h e r m i n d i c a t i n g s h e w a s i n t e n d i n g t o r e s i d e a t h e r n e w l d p a y $ 9 7 5 p e r m o n t h f o r r e n t . T h e m i n i s t ry R V a s o f S e p t e m b e r 1 5 a n d a s e c u r i t y d e p o s i t o f p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g f o r h e r a n d h e r c h i l d . S h e m u n i t y r e s o u r c e s b u t s h e w a s c o n c e r n e d s h e w o u l d s i t w a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t l o s i n g h e r w a l l e t d i d n o t o t h e r c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g . S h e a d v i s e d t h a t e d a n d s h e c o u l d n o t r e t r i e v e h e r c l o t h i n g u n t i l e r c h i l d w a s s t u n g b y a b e e a n d s h e w a s r e q u i r e d t o l a n d l o r d p u t h e r b e l o n g i n g s i n a l o c k e d s h e d . H e r u e s t f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n w h e r e i n s h e i n d i c a t e d t h a t a l l e t t h a t w a s s t o l e n a n d s h e i s u n a b l e t o m o v e i n t o h e h a s u s e d u p t h e m a j o r i t y o f h e r a s s i s t a n c e e h a s n o p l a c e t o c o o k m e a l s . S h e a d v i s e d t h a t s h e w i n t e r c l o t h e s b u t s h e w a s u n a b l e t o g i v e n h e r h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t i f i e d t h e h e a r i n g p r o c e e d e d i n a t i o n d e c i s i o n a n d c l a r i f i e d t h a t o n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 , r a t i o n b u t i n s t e a d r e q u e s t e d a n o t h e r c r i s i s n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n o n a p p e a l i s a b o u t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s o r c l o t h i n g . h a s i t s t o l e n t h e m i n i s t r y r e p l a c e s t h a t c h e q u e .
PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION The issue in this appeal is the reasonableness of the ministry reconsideration decision that denied the appellant's request for a crisis supplement for clothing for her and her child because the appellant does not meet all of the statutory criteria described in section 59(1) of the EAR. Specifically, was the ministry reasonable in its determination that • it is not established that there are no alternative resources available; and • failure to obtain a crisis supplement for clothing does not result in imminent danger to the appellant's or her child's physical health or to the removal of a child under the Child, Family and Community Service Act.? Crisis supplement 59 (l)The minister may provide a crisis supplement to or for a family unit that is eligible for income assistance or hardship assistance if (a)the family unit or a person in the family unit requires the supplement to meet an unexpected expense or obtain an item unexpectedly needed and is unable to meet the expense or obtain the item because there are no resources available to the family unit, and (b)the minister considers that failure to meet the expense or obtain the item will result in (i)imminent danger to the physical health of any person in the family unit, or (ii)removal of a child under the Child, Family and Community Service Act. Appellant's Position: The appellant argues that she should be eligible for a crisis supplement for clothing because she had no resources available as the money for her damage deposit was stolen and she was unable to move into her residence. She had to use up the majority of her assistance cheque because she was temporarily without residence and as a result incurred additional costs which prevented her from purchasing the winter clothes she requires. She had intended on using some of her assistance funds to purchase winter clothes but she was unable to given her current living situation. The appellant argues further that as she could not access her ciothes she was in danger of suffering hypothermia. Ministry Position: Crisis supplements are intended to address urgent situations that could not have reasonably been planned for or anticipated. Section 59(1) of the EAR states a crisis supplement may be provided to a family unit for income assistance if all three of the following criteria are met: 1. The need for the item is unexpected or there is an unexpected expense; 2. There are no resources available and 3. Failure to obtain the item or meet the exoense will result in imminent dani:ier to your ohvsical
health or the removal of a child under the Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA). The minister noted that having her wallet stolen rendered the appellant temporarily without residence and found it reasonable that she would have incurred additional costs during this time which prevented her from purchasing the winter clothes she requires. As a result, the ministry was satisfied that the need for money to purchase winter clothing was unexpected to her at this time, and requirement 1 has been met. A review of the appellant's file confirmed that on October 5, 2018 the appellant received $197.95 as a family bonus top-up supplement, and it was noted that on October 9, 2018 she had not cashed this cheque. As no information had been provided to explain why the appellant was unable to use some of these funds to purchase the clothing she requires, the ministry considered this cheque to be an available resource. Requirement 2 has not been met. Although the appellant indicated that her current living situation has prevented her from purchasing the winter clothing she and her child require, she has indicated she is able to retrieve her belongings from her previous landlord. As such, the ministry is not satisfied that she or her children's health is at risk without purchasing clothing. Additionally there is no indication that the appellant is at risk of having her child removed from her care. As a result, the minister is not satisfied that failure to purchase clothing will result in imminent danger to the appellant's or her child's physical health or removal of a child under the CFCSA. Requirement 3 has not been met. As the appellant does not meet all of the eligibility criteria described in section 59(1) of the EAR her request for a crisis supplement is denied. Panel Decision: No resources: The appellant argued that she had no resources available because the money for her damage deposit was stolen and she was unable to move into her residence; she had to use up the majority of her assistance cheque because she was temporarily without residence. As a result she incurred additional costs which prevented her from purchasing the winter clothes she requires. She had intended on using some of her cheque to purchase winter clothes but she was unable to given her current living situation. While the ministry argues that funds from the appellant's family bonus top-up cheque were an available resource for her the panel finds that as her alleged crisis occurred on or immediately prior to September 24, 2018, the funds from the family bonus top-up cheque were not available to her as she received this cheque 11 days after the "crisis". Based on the foregoing the panel finds that the ministry was not reasonable when it concluded that the appellant did not satisfy the legislative criterion that she has no resources available pursuant to section 57(1)(a). Imminent Danger to physical health: The appellant argues that as she could not access her clothes she was in danger of suffering from hypothermia. In the panel's view the word "imminent" connotes a degree of immediacy that has not been demonstrated in the annellant's circumstances. There is no evidence that failure to have funds to obtain
w i n t e r c l o t h e s f o r h e r s e l f a n d h e r c h i l d w i l l p u t t h e a d a n g e r . W h i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s s h e w a s i n d a n a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t p r o v i d e d a n y i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m a p h e a l t h . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e 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 p p e l l a n t n o r h e r c h i l d ' s h e a l t h w e r e a t r i s k a s a r e s d a y s . A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e r e i s n o i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e a p c a r e . A s a r e s u l t , t h e 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 r e w i l l n o t r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s u n 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 t y S e rv i c e A c T h u s , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t ry r e a s o n a b l y e l e g i s l a t i v e c r i t e r i o n r e l a t e d t o " i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h p a n e l f i n d s f u rt h e r t h a t t h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t h a t f a i r e s u l t i n 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 C h i l d , F a m 5 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i i ) . C o n c l u s i o n : A s n o t a l l o f t h e c r i t e r i a o f s e c t i o n 5 9 o f t h e E A R h a d e c i s i o n t o d e n y 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 e v i d e n c e a n d 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 l e g i s l r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n i s c o n f i r m e d a n d t h e a p p e p p e l l a n t o r h e r c h i l d r e n ' s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h i n i m m i n e n t g e r o f s u ff e r i n g h y p o t h e r m i a t h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e h y s i c i a n r e g a r d i n g i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o p h y s i c a l r e a s o n a b l e w h e n i t d e t e r m i n e d t h a t n e i t h e r t h e u l t o f n o t b e i n g a b l e t o a c c e s s t h e i r b e l o n g i n g s f o r 4 p e l l a n t i s a t r i s k o f h a v i n g h e r c h i l d r e m o v e d f r o m h e r a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t f a i l u r e t o p u r c h a s e c l o t h i n g o r h e r c h i l d ' s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o r r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d t . s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t s a t i s f i e d t h e e a l t h " i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s e c t i o n 5 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( i ) . T h e l u r e t o o b t a i n t h 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 w i l l i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n v e b e e n s a t i s f i e d , t h e 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 ' s o r c l o t h i n g w a s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e a t i o n i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . T h e m i n i s t r y ' s l l a n t i s n o t s u c c e s s f u l o n a p p e a l .
P A R T G O R D E R T H E P A N E L D E C I S I O N I S : ( C h e c k o n e ) !?:;] U N A N I M O U S □ B Y M A J O R I T Y T H E P A N E L !?:;] C O N F I R M S T H E M I N I S T R Y D E C I S I O N □ R E S C I N D S T H E M I N I S T R Y D E C I S I O N I f t h e m i n i s t r y d e c i s i o n i s r e s c i n d e d , i s t h e p a n e l d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d b a c k t o t h e M i n i s t e r f o r a d e c i s i o n a s t o a m o u n t ? □ Y e s □ N o L E G I S L A T I V E A U T H O R I T Y F O R T H E D E C I S 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 2 4 ( 1 ) ( a ) D o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 1 ) ( b ) I?:;] a n d S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( a ) I?:;] o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( b ) D P A R T H S I G N A T U R E S P R I N T N A M E I n g e M o r r i s s e y S J G N A T U R E O F C H A ! R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / D A Y } r , ' · / � .- I , J , d- , 2 0 1 8 / 1 1 / 0 5 = -. . · · . P R J N T N A M E L o w e l l J o h n s o n S I G N A T U R E O F M E M B E R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / D A Y ) 2 0 1 8 / 1 1 / 0 5 I -. P R I N T N A M E D o n a l d S t e d e f o r d S I G N A T U R E O F M E M B E R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / D A Y ) 2 0 1 8 / 1 1 / 0 5 '\,, � � '
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.