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 D e c e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 s u p p l e m e n t t o p a y t h e a r r e a r s h e o w e s t o B C H y d r o c r i t e r i a 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 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 r e s o u r • 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 t o p a y t 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 p h y s i c a l F a m il y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t ( C F C S A 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 ) , w h 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 b e c a u s e h e 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 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 ) . T h e m i n i s t r y c e s a v a i l a b l e ; a n d h e a r r e a r s o w e d t o B . C . H y d r o d o e s n o t r e s u l t i n h e a l t h o r 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 , ) .
PART E -SUMMARY OF FACTS The information before the ministry at reconsideration included the following: The appellant is a sole recipient with 2 dependent children. He receives $ 1246.16 per month for income assistance. This amount includes $475.58 per month for a support allowance, $660 for a shelter allowance and $10.58 for a familv bonus too-uo. In addition he receives ;ii 1 127 per montnror Canada Child Benefit. He pays $850 per month rent. On November 1, 2018 the appellant submitted a notice of disconnect from B.C. Hydro that indicated he was required to pay $519.08. The appellant said the amount was from his previous address because his landlord rented an outbuilding on the property that was hooked up to his hydro account and he is taking him to arbitration because he has not paid him like he agreed. On November 5, 2018 the ministry denied the appellant's request because his need for money to pay the hydro bill was not considered unexpected to him and there was no imminent danger to his physical health. On November 23, 2018 the appellant said BC Hydro disconnected his services. The ministry worker called B.C. Hydro. The phone agent advised that when the appellant closed his account at his previous address, he was billed $428.06 (amount in excess of his Equal Payment Plan). Hydro advised he has not made any payments since opening his new account in August and the last payment was from the ministry in July. The ministry negotiated a payment plan with B.C. Hydro that the appellant agreed to so B.C. Hydro would reconnect his services. The arrangements were: • The ministry would send a one-time payment of $310.93 (1/2 of past due amount and reconnection fee) from his January disability assistance on December 19, 2018. • The ministry set up a direct monthly payment of $39 to cover his Equal Payment Plan amount starting on December 19. On December 4, 2018 the appellant submitted his request for reconsideration. He advised B.C. Hydro denied his request for their Crisis Fund program and he has no means to pay the bill. He writes; "Now I have been denied the B.C. Hydro crisis fund now they have disconnected my hydro and I have no means of paying this bill. I have submitted the papers to RTB in regards to my extremely high bill." In his Notice of Appeal dated December 21, 2018 the appellant wrote: "You left me with no support money to feed my kids." Pursuant to section 22(4) of the Employment and Assistance Act the panel admits the appellant's submission on appeal as in support of information that was before the ministry at reconsideration; this information provides additional detail to the appellant's reported financial difficult difficulties. The appellant did not attend. Upon confirming that the appellant was notified the hearing proceeded in accordance with section 86(b) of the EAR. At the hearing the ministry reiterated the reconsideration decision and clarified that B.C. Hydro will only reconnect if the ministry confirms that it will arrange payment. The ministry can only do so if they have the appellant's agreement which the ministry obtained from the appellant.
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 to pay the arrears the appellant owes to BC Hydro 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 resources available; and • failure to obtain a crisis supplement to pay the arrears the appellant owes to B.C. Hydro does not result in imminent danger to his and his children's physical health or 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 wil I resu It 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 he should be eligible for a crisis supplement because he has no means to pay the arrears owed to BC hydro, he has been denied the B.C. Hydro crisis fund, his hydro got disconnected, and he has no money left to feed his children. 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 expense will result in imminent danger to your physical health or the removal of a child under the Child, Family and Community Service Act (CFCSA).
T h e m i n i s t r y i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t r e q u i r e m e n t # 1 h a s b e p a y t h e a r r e a r s t o h y d r o w a s u n e x p e c t e d a s h i s p r e d i d n o t f o l l o w t h r o u g h . H o w e v e r , t h e m i n i s t r y h a s m a d e p a y m e n t a r r a n g e m h y d r o c o n n e c t e d . T h e m i n i s t r y n o t e s t h a t h i s m o n t h a g r e e d u p o n p a y m e n t s t o B . C H y d r o o n D e c e m b e r ----1 d a f!l , 1 a ry a s s i s t a 11 c e a n cl G a n a cl a G h i l c l -B e n e f i t s t -o-m h e h a s a n y u p c o m i n g e x t r a o r d i n a r y e x p e n s e s t h a t h i n c o m e , t h e m i n i s t r y c o n s i d e r s t h i s a r e a s o n a b l e a m h e h a s t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o m e e t t h e p a y m e n B . C . H y d r o . R e q u i r e m e n t # 2 h a s n o t b e e n m e t . B . C . H y d r o h a s r e c o n n e c t e d h i s s e r v i c e s a n d h e i s c h i l d r e n ' s h e a l t h i s n o l o n g e r a t r i s k , t h e m i n i s t r y i s B . C . H y d r o w i l l r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o h i s p h y P a n e l D e c i s i o n : N o r e s o u r c e s : W h i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t h e h a s n o r e s o u r c e a m o u n t o w i n g t o B C H y d r o b e c a u s e h e n o w h a s n o t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e w h e n i t c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h a t h e h a s n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o m e e t t h e p a y m w i t h B . C . H y d r o p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 7 ( 1 ) ( a ) ; t h e m H y d r o o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s b e h a l f i n o r d e r t o g e t h i s h u p o n p a y m e n t s t o B . C H y d r o o n D e c e m b e r 1 9 , t h e J a n u a r y a s s i s t a n c e a n d C a n a d a C h i l d B e n e f i t s t o m i n s u ffi c i e n t e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t c a n n o t t o m e f u rt h e r m o r e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c a p p e l l a n t w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o p a y f o r w i t h h i s r e m a I m m i n e n t D a n g e r t o p h y s i c a l h e a l t h : I n t h e p a n e l ' s v i e w t h e w o r d " i m m i n e n t " c o n n o t e s a d e m o n s t r a t e d 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 . W h m o n e y t o f e e d h i s c h i l d r e n t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h i n i m m i n e n t d a n g e r . W h i l e B . C . H y d a l s o r e c o n n e c t e d o n t h e s a m e d a y . T h e p a n e l n o t e s f r o m a p 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 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 p e l l a n t 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 o w e d t o B . C . H y d r o 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 o r 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 i l y a n d C I e n m e t b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s n e e d f o r m o n e y t o v i o u s l a n d l o r d a g r e e d t o h e l p w i t h t h e b i l l a n d t h e n e n t s w i t h B . C . H y d r o o n h i s b e h a l f i n o r d e r t o g e t h i s l y i n c o m e i s $ 2 2 7 3 . 1 6 . A ft e r p a y i n g r e n t a n d t h e 1 9 , h e w i l l s t i l l h a v e $ 1 0 7 3 . 2 3 r e m a i n i n g f r o m h i s e e t h i s f a m i l y ' s -n e e d s:-As-he-ha s n o t i n d i c a t e d i h m• a , --+ - e w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o p a y f o r w i t h h i s r e m a i n i n g o u n t . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e m i n i s t r y h a s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t a r r a n g e m e n t s m a d e f o r h i s p a s t d u e a m o u n t w i t h n o l o n g e r a t r i s k o f b e i n g d i s c o n n e c t e d . A s h e a n d h i s n o t s a t i s f i e d t h a t f a i l u r e t o p a y t h e a r r e a r s h e o w e s t o s i c a l h e a l t h . R e q u i r e m e n t # 3 h a s n o t b e e n m e t . s a v a i l a b l e b e c a u s e h e h a s n o m e a n s o f p a y i n g t h e m o n e y l e f t t o f e e d h i s c h i l d r e n , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t s a t i s f y t h e l e g i s l a t i v e c r i t e r i o n e n t a r r a n g e m e n t s m a d e f o r h i s p a s t d u e a m o u n t i n i s t r y h a s m a d e p a y m e n t a r r a n g e m e n t s w i t h B . C . y d r o c o n n e c t e d . A f t e r p a y i n g r e n t a n d t h e a g r e e d a p p e l l a n t w i l l s t i l l h a v e $ 1 0 7 3 . 2 3 r e m a i n i n g f r o m h i s e e t h i s f a m i l y ' s n e e d s . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e i s e t h i s f a m i l y n e e d s w i t h h i s r e m a i n i n g i n c o m e ; e o f a n y u p c o m i n g e x t r a o r d i n a r y e x p e n s e s t h a t t h e i n i n g i n c o m e . d e g r e e o f i m m e d i a c y t h a t h a s n o t b e e n i l e t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t h e w a s l e ft w i t h n o i s n o e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t o r h i s c h i l d r e n ' s r o w a s d i s c o n n e c t e d o n N o v e m b e r 2 3 , 2 0 1 8 i t w a s t h a t t h e 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 i c a l h e a l t h . i s a t r i s k o f h a v i n g h i s c h i l d r e n r e m o v e d f r o m h i s 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 a y t h e a r r e a r s e r t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s o r h i s c h i l d r e n ' s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t .
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 r y 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 r t 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 l 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 i l y a n 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 ( 1 ) o f t h e E A R m i n i s t r y ' s 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 r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e a n d a r e a s o n 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 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s o n a p p e a l .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 u r e t o p a y t h e a r r e a r s o w e d t o B . C . H y d r o w i l l r e s u l t d C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n h a 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 p l e m e n t t o p a y t h e a r r e a r s o w e d t o B C H y d r o w a s 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 i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' 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 l l a n t i s n o t s u c c e s s f u l
Employment and Assistance Tribunal Decision Appeal Tribunal PARTG-ORDER THE PANELDECISIONIS:(Check one) [SJ UNANIMOUS □BYMAJORITY THEPANEL [S]CONFIRMSTHEMINISTRYDECISION □RESCINDSTHEMINISTRYDECISION lflbe_ministry.-<:Jecision.Js.rescinded ,.. iS-tl:ie_.panel-deGisi<m-referree-oae"-te-t-Ae-MiAiste for a decision as to amount? □Yes □No LEGISLATIVEAUTHORITYFORTHEDECISION: Employment and Assistance Act Section 24(1 )(a) [SJ or Section 24(1 )(b) [SJ and Section 24(2)(a) [SJ or Section 24(2)(b) D PARTH-SIGNATURES PRINTNAME Inge Morrissey SlGNATUREOFCHAIR DATE(YEAR/MONTH/DAY) 2019/01/18 PRINTNAME Keith Lacroix SIGNATUREOFMEMBER DATE(YEAR/MONTH/OAY) 2019/01/19 PRINTNAME Barbara Thompson SIGNATUREOFMEMBER DATE(YEAR/MONTH/DAY ) 2019/01/20
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.