BURST
A B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has agreed to let a complaint proceed against B.C. Housing after the organization cut its subsidy for a woman who requires full-time care.
Constance Howard, described in the decision as an elderly woman with disabilities, had her rent subsidy from B.C. Housing cut when her son moved in to become her full-time caregiver.
B.C. Housing saw this as her son, Grant Howard, being a beneficiary of a program aimed at helping seniors on low-income assistance with rent. He did not, it ruled, meet the requirements of being a live-in caregiver.
But tribunal member Andrew Robb stated in the recent decision that, while her son didn’t meet the caregiver requirements, there was no other option available to her in the program.
“The evidence before me suggests that she could not live in her home without a live-in caregiver, and she does not have access to a live-in caregiver other than a family member.
“But when her family member took on the role of her live-in caregiver, her subsidy was reduced. I find this is sufficient to bring the connection between her family status and the reduction of her subsidy out of the realm of conjecture.”
One of B.C. Housing’s programs is the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters, which provides a monthly subsidy to help make rent more affordable to seniors with a low to moderate income.
Constance Howard’s subsidy was reduced by around $260 when her son moved in. She appealed the decision to B.C. Housing, but an adjudicator denied it in 2020.
She then filed a human rights complaint alleging that B.C. Housing’s decision to reduce her subsidy was discrimination. The rights tribunal accepted the complaint on the grounds of family status.
The application by B.C. Housing to dismiss the complaint was denied, and the tribunal is fast-tracking the process to the hearing.