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 D e v e d e c i s i o n d a t e d 2 5 t h O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 i n w h i c h t h e m i n i s t r y d • t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e d i s a b i l i t y c h i l d r e n , a s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p a r e n t i n g s c h e d u l e d E m p l o y m e n t a n d P e r s o n s W i t h D i s a b i l i t y A c t ; a n • t h e r e w a s i n s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , a s a r e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r d i s a b i n f o r m a t i o n h a d b e e n p r o v i d e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t t a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y u n i 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 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 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 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 ( m i n i s t ry ) r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n e t e r m i n e d t h a t a s s i s t a n c e a s a tw o p a r e n t fa m i l y w i t h t h r e e d e p e n d a n t o n o t m e e t t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " d e p e n d a n t c h i l d " u n d e r t h e d n t o d e t e r m i n e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e h a d n o t b e e n c o m p l e t e d a n d n o o c o n f i r m t h e i n c o m e a n d a s s e t s a m o u n t s o f t h e A c t ( E A P W D ) S e c t i o n 1 R e g u l a t i o n ( E A P W D R ) S c h e d u l e A
PART E-SUMMARY OF FACTS The evidence and documentation before the ministry at reconsideration consisted of the following: 1. A Consent Order dated 2nd September 2016, amongst other matters, describing a shared parenting schedule for the three children of the appellant and his ex partner; 2. A Family Case Conference and Record & Order dated 5 th July 2017 confirming the date for the summer parenting schedule; 3. Reasons for Judgement of a Judge of the Provincial court of British Columbia dated 25 th July 2015 relating to a Judgement rendered by the said court on 10 th July 2018; 4. A letter dated 4 th September 2018 from the appellant to the ministry that, amongst other matters, requested the ministry to add his children to be added to his account to allow an increase in his disability income; 5. A letter dated 9 th October 2018 from the appellant to the ministry that, amongst other matters, submitted that (a) the appellant's children lived with the appellant at least 50% of the time; and (b) the appellant had slightly higher parenting time percentage (more than 50%) during the summer break; The evidence and additional new documentary information (NDI) before the panel at the time of the hearing of the appeal consisted of the following: 1. The ministry's reconsideration decision dated 25 th October 2018 that, amongst other matters, stated and determined the following: • On 5 th September 2018, the appellant requested to be re-assessed for disability income and add his three children as "dependants" on his file; • On 19 th September 2018, based on the Court decisions submitted by the appellant, the ministry determined that the appellant did not have his three children living with him for more than 50% of the time and therefore the appellant was not able to add them as "dependants" on his file; • On 21 st September 2018, the ministry worker reviewed the appellant's file to see if the appellant would qualify for disability assistance if he was to receive shared parent assistance, which is a shelter top up in cases where a child who is not a "dependant" resides with a person for at least 40% of the time; • On 12' h October 2018, the appellant filed a submission submitted with the ministry to the effect that, when calculated without normal school hours, the appellant had slightly more than 50% of the parenting time than his ex partner, as the appellant prepared 1 more meal than she does; • As the court documents indicate that during a two week period, the appellant has his three children for 7 of the 14 nights, the ministry considers this to be 50% of the time that the appellant's children are living with him; and that based on the said parenting schedule for the three children, they do not meet the definition of "dependents" under EAPWDA. Therefore, the appellant was not eligible to receive additional disability assistance as a two parent family with three "dependant" children; • The ministry is satisfied that the appellant has his children living with him more than 40% of the time each month, as required by Schedule A of the EAPWDR; • The disability assistance is an asset and income tested program; • The ministry had previously determined that the appellant's CPP income, as a disabled contributor's child benefit amounting to $1746.76, was "unearned income" that exceeded the income allowance eliaible for the annellant amountina to $1677.56. This findina was corrected in
t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d t h e m i n i s t r y a c k a s " e x e m p t i n c o m e " f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f a p p e l l a n t ; • U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t c o m i n f o r m a t i o n h a s b e e n p r o v i d e d t o c o n f i r m u n i t ; a n d • W i t h o u t i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t , a i n s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e a p 2 . A p p e l l a n t ' s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d 7 ' " N o v e m b e " M i n i s t r y ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f p a r e n t i n g s c h e d u l e i s 3 . A p p e l l a n t ' s s u b m i s s i o n d a t e d 1 1 1 " D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 • O n e o f t h e t h r e e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c h i l d t h e p o r t i o n o f t h e p a r e n t i n g b e n e f i t s t h a t o n e c h i l d ; • T h e tw o o f t h e o t h e r t h r e e o f t h e a p p e l l a e a c h m o n t h ; t h e s a i d t i m e i s n o t s c h e d u s a i d t w o c h i l d r e n , o r t h e i r m o t h e r ; • · T h e tw o l e t t e r s a t t a c h e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t l e t t e r d a t e d 1 4 1 h F e b r u a r y f r o m a C l i e n t S t h e " p e r s o n a l k n o w l e d g e " o f t h e s a i d M a a p p e l l a n t a t l e a s t h a l f t h e t i m e , w h i c h i s b a c k a s D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 4 ; a n d ( b ) a l e t t e C h u r c h t h a t s t a t e d t h a t , b a s e d o n t h e " p t h r e e c h i l d r e n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t l i v e d w i t h • T h e s a i d l e t t e r s f r o m t h e F o o d B a n k a n d t w o o f h i s t h r e e c h i l d r e n s l i g h t l y m o r e t h a 4 . A m i n i s t r y ' s s u b m i s s i o n d a t e d 2 1 s t D e c e m b e r 2 0 • T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d u p o n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a • T h e m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f f i c e r h a m i n i s t r y t o h a v e h i s e l i g i b i l i t y r e e v a l u a t e a l l o w a n c e , b e c a u s e t h e r e w a s n o t e n o u g h i s t o t a l i n c o m e a n d a s s e t s w o u l d a ff e c t • T h e m i n i s t r y a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t t h e a p p t i m e a n d t h e r e f o r e h i s r e q u e s t f o r a d d i t i o T h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o ff i c e r d i d n o t r e f e r ( a ) t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t p r o v i d e d a w r i t a n d , a s s u c h , s u b s e c t i o n 1 ( 2 ) d i d n o t a n n o w l e d g e d t h a t s a i d t h e C P P i n c o m e i s t o b e c o n s i d e r e d t o t h e c a l c u l a t i o n o f t h e i n c o m e a l l o w a n c e e l i g i b l e f o r t h e p l e t e d a r e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , n o t h e i n c o m e a n d a s s e t a m o u n t s f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y s t o h i s f a m i l y u n i t ' s i n c o m e a n d a s s e t s , t h e r e w a s p e l l a n t ' s e l i g i b i l i t y fo r a d d i t i o n a l d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e . r 2 0 1 8 i n w h i c h t h e R e a s o n s F o r a p p e a l s t a t e d t h a t t h e u n j u s t a n d o n l y e x i s t s t o a v o i d c o v e r a g e ; 8 t h a t , a m o n g s t o t h e r m a t t e r s , s t a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : h a s d e c i d e d t o l i v e p r i m a r i l y w i t h h e r m o t h e r a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e a p p e l l a n t w o u l d b e q u a l i f i e d f o r s h o u l d b e r e d u c e d b y n t ' s c h i l d r e n h a v e a h i s t o r y o f s t a y i n g a n e x t r a n i g h t o r t w o l e d i n a d v a n c e , b u t i s t h e r e s u l t o f t h e r e q u e s t s f r o m t h e ' s s u b m i s s i o n d a t e d 1 1 1 " D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 i n c l u d e ( a ) a e r v i c e M a n a g e r o f a F o o d B a n k t h a t s t a t e d t h a t , b a s e d o n n a g e r , t h e t h r e e c h i l d r e n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t l i v e d w i t h t h e a l s o c o n f i r m e d b y t h e F o o d B a n k ' s s y s t e m g o i n g a s fa r r d a t e d 2 8 1 " M a r c h 2 0 1 7 f r o m t h e P a s t o r o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e r s o n a l a n d p ro f e s s i o n a l k n o w l e d g e " o f t h e P a s t o r , t h e t h e a p p e l l a n t a t l e a s t h a l f o f t h e t i m e ; a n d t h e P a s t o r s u p p o r t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c l a i m t h a t h e c a r e s fo r n 5 0 % o f t h e t i m e . 1 8 t h a t , a m o n g s t o t h e r m a t t e r s , s t a t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : t i o n d e c i s i o n ; d r e c o m m e n d e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t h e s h o u l d c o n t a c t t h e d f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , i n c l u d i n g t h e s h a r e d p a r e n t h i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e i f h i s e l i g i b i l i t y f o r d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e ; e l l a n t h a d h i s c h i l d r e n l i v i n g w i t h h i m e x a c t l y 5 0 % o f t h e n a l i n c o m e a l l o w a n c e m e e t s s u b s e c t i o n 1 ( 2 ) o f E A P W D R . t o t h e s a i d s u b s e c t i o n i n 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 , a s t e n s u b m i s s i o n f r o m t h e c h i l d r e n ' s m o t h e r a s t h e p a r e n t ; d c o n t i n u e s n o t t o a p p l y t o t h e a p p e l l a n t .
New Documentary Evidence Having carefully considered the contents of the appellant's submission dated 11 th December 2018 and the ministry's submission dated 21 st December 2018, the panel finds that both the submissions are admissible and, as such, admitted as additional evidence under Section 22(4), as they are in support of the records of information and records, corroborating the information before the minister at reconsideration. The panel, having regard to the relevant issues it has to decide, further finds that the relevant evidence before it establishes the following facts: 1. The appellant is currently a recipient of disability assistance (Medical Services Only); 2. The appellant's children live with him more than 40% of the time each month as required by Schedule A of EAPWDR; and 3. The Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) income received by the appellant, as a disabled contributor's benefit, is exempt income and cannot be included in calculating the appellant's shared parenting eligible allowance.
I PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION The issue in this appeal is the reasonableness of the ministry's decision, which determined that (a) the appellant was not eligible to receive disability assistance as a two parent family with 3 dependant children, as the appellant's parenting schedule did not meet the definition of "dependant child" under the EAPWDA; and (b) there was insufficient evidence at reconsideration to determine that the appellant was not eligible to receive disability assistance, as a re-application for disability assistance had not been completed and no information had been provided by the appellant to confirm the income and assets amounts of the appellant's family unit. The relevant applicable legislation is as follows: Section 1 -EAPWDA 1 (1) In this Act: "Dependant", in relation to a person, means anyone who resides with the person and who (a) is the spouse of the person, [J(b) is a dependent child of the person, orl· (c) indicates a parental role for the person's dependent child; "Dependent child", with respect to a parent, means a child, other than a child who is 18 years of age and is a person with disabilities, who resides in the parent's place of residence for more than 50% of each month and relies on that parent for the necessities of life, and includes a child in circumstances prescribed under subsection (2); "Family unit" means an applicant or a recipient and his or her dependants. Schedule A -EAPWDR Part I -Interpretation "unearned income" means any income that is not earned income, and includes, without limitation, money or value received from any of the following: (f)any type or class of Canada Pension Plan benefits; Monthly shelter allowance04 (1) For the purposes of this section: "family unit" includes a child who is not a dependent child and who resides in the parent's place of residence for not less than 40% of each month, under the terms of an order or an agreement referred to in section 1 (2) of this regulation; (2) The monthly shelter allowance for a family unit to which section 14.2 of the Act does not apply is the smaller of (a) the family unit's actual shelter costs, andr:(b) the maximum set out in the following table for the applicable family size:
C o l u m n 1 I t e m F a m i l y U n i t S i z e 2 2 p e r s o n s 5 5 p e r s o n s T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t , a t l e a s t t w o o f h i s t h r e e c h i l d r e n T h e r e f o r e , h e i s e n t i t l e d t o h a v e h i s c h i l d r e n a d d e d t o h i s a o f l h e E A P W D A . T h e m i n i s t r y ' s a r g u e s t h a t t h e C o u r t d o c u m e n t s p r o v i d e d b t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s h i s c h i l d r e n f o r 7 o f 1 4 n i g h t s . B a s e d o n a p p e l l a n t ' s c h i l d r e n l i v e w i t h t h e a p p e l l a n t o n l y a n d e x a c t l y d e f i n i t i o n o f " d e p e n d e n t c h i l d " u n d e r E A P W D A c t , a n d t h e a s s i s t a n c e a s a t w o p a r e n t f a m i l y w i t h d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n P a n e l ' s D e c i s i o n S e c t i o n 1 o f t h e E A P W D A p r o v i d e s t h a t , a " D e p e n d e n t c h c h i l d w h o i s 1 8 y e a r s o f a g e a n d i s a p e r s o n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e m o r e t h a n 5 0 % o f e a c h m o n t h a n d r e l i e s o n t h a t p a r e n t fo s u b m i s s i o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d � e s t h a t o n l y t w o o f h t h e r e o f h e s u b m i t t e d a l e t t e r d a t e d 1 4 h F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 8 f r o m h i s P a s t o r , b o t h o f w h i c h e x p r e s s l y s t a t e t h a t t h e c h i l d r e n o t i m e " . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e s a i d t w o l e t t e r s d o n o t s u p p " s l i g h t l y m o r e t h a n 5 0 % o f t h e t i m e " . T h e a p p e l l a n t f u r t h e r a r g u e d t h a t i f s c h o o l h o u r s w e r e n o t t h a n 5 1 % o f t h e t i m e w i t h h i m . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e c o s c h e d u l e f o r e a c h p a r e n t a n d d o e s n o t m a k e a n y d i s t i n c t r s c h o o l h o u r s a r e i n c l u d e d i n t h e p a r e n t i n g t i m e a s s i g n e d t p a r e n t i n g t i m e . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t t w o o f t h e t t w o e a c h m o n t h e i t h e r a t t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e c h i l d r e n o r a s t h e v i e w t h a t s u c h a n i n t e r m i t t e n t l y f l u c t u a t i n g p a r e n t i n g s c c o u r t p r e s c r i b e d p a r e n t i n g s c h e d u l e . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y a l s o g a v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n w h e t h e r t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s e n t i t l e d t o a " s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e " c h i l d r e n l i v i n g w i t h h i m f o r m o r e t h a n 4 0 % o f t h e t i m e . H o w t e s t e d p r o g r a m , a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t a p p l i e d f o r a n d / o f h i s f a m i l y u n i t , t h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e r e w a s i n e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e s u c h " s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e " . T h e p a n e l m a k i s n o t a n i s s u e u n d e r t h i s a p p e a l . H a v i n r e a r d t o t h e fo r e o i n a n a l s i s o f t h e e v i d e n c e b e ' C o l u m n 2 M a x i m u m M o n t h l y S h e l t e r $ 5 7 0 $ 7 5 0 a r e l i v i n g w i t h h i m f o r m o r e t h a n 5 0 % o f t h e t i m e . c c o u n t a s " d e p e n d a n t s " w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f S e c t i o n 1 y t h e a p p e l l a n t i n d i c a t e t h a t d u r i n g a t w o w e e k p e r i o d t h e s a i d p a r e n t i n g s c h e d u l e p r e s c r i b e d b y t h e c o u r t , t h e 5 0 % o f t h e t i m e . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e y d o n o t m e e t t h e r e f o r e 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 d i s a b i l i t y . il d ' '. w i t h r e s p e c t t o a p a r e n t , m e a n s a c h i l d , o t h e r t h a n a s , w h o r e s i d e s i n t h e p a r e n t ' s p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e f o r r t h e n e c e s s i t i e s o f l i f e . I n h i s 1 1 t h D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 i s t h r e e c h i l d r e n a r e r e s i d i n g w i t h h i m , a n d i n s u p p o rt h i s F o o d B a n k a n d a l e t t e r d a t e d 2 8 t h M a r c h 2 0 1 7 f r o m f t h e a p p e l l a n t r e s i d e n c e w i t h h i m " a t l e a s t h a l f o f t h e o r t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c l a i m t h a t t h e c h i l d r e n l i v e w i t h h i m t o b e i n c l u d e d i n p a r e n t i n g t i m e , h i s c h i l d r e n l i v e d m o r e u rt d o c u m e n t s c l e a r l y d e s c r i b e t h e p a r e n t i n g t i m e a n d e f e r e n c e t o s c h o o l h o u r s . T h e r e f o r e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t o e a c h p a r e n t a n d c a n n o t b e e x c l u d e d i n c a l c u l a t i o n o f h r e e a p p e l l a n t ' s c h i l d r e n o f t e n s p e n d a n e x t r a n i g h t o r t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e x p a r t n e r . T h e p a n e l i s o f h e d u l e , u n e n d o r s e d b y t h e c o u r t , c a n n o t o v e r r i d e t h e t o t h e f a c t s b e f o r e i t a s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e , a s t h e m i n i s t r y w a s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d h i s e v e r , a s t h e " s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e " i s a n " i n c o m e a n d a s s e t " o r p r o v i d e d i n fo r m a t i o n t o c o n f i r m t h e i n c o m e a n d a s s e t s s u ff i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o d e t e r m i n e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e s n o f i n d i n g a s t o t h i s d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t r y a s i t f o r e t h e a n e l a n d t h e f i n d i n s o f f a c t m a d e b t h e a n e l
i n P a rt E a b o v e , 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 d e c i s i o n 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 a p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t i o n t o t h e c r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n .I w a s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o rt e d b y e v i d e n c e a n d a l s o a i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e a p p e l l a n t T h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e
I 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 ) X 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 X 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 ry 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 ) X a n d S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( a ) X 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 T A J D I N M I T H A S I G N A T U R E O F C H A I R D A T E ( Y E A R/ M O N T H/ D A Y ) · · · --� : -u . ,,, 2 0 1 9 -0 1 -0 7 -,,__ P R I N T N A M E A D A M R O L L I N S 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 ) A dam R "'"'4 2 0 1 9 -0 1 -0 9 P R I N T N A M E R A B I N D E R N I J J A R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / D A Y } 2 0 1 9 -0 1 -0 7
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