Community Care and Assisted Living Amendment Act

Last week, the British Columbia Minister of Health introduced the Community Care and Assisted Living Amendment Act, 2016. The proposed amendments are consistent with the British Columbia Law Institute and Canadian Centre for Elder Law's Report on Assisted Living in British Columbia, published in 2013.

As set out in the British Columbia Law Institute's press release on March 8, 2016,

Among the recommendations in the Report on Assisted Living in British Columbia published by BCLI and CCEL in 2013 were to repeal the restriction on assisted living residences limiting them to providing no more than two prescribed services. Bill 16 would remove this restriction. This will allow for a greater range of living and care options to residents and allow them to remain longer in the same apartment-style setting and retain much independence as possible.

Other recommendations included clarifying the mental status requirement for eligibility to enter and remain in assisted living, and amending the meaning of “spouse” in the Community Care and Assisted Living Act to include a person who has been in a marriage-like relationship with a resident for at least two years as well as a legally married spouse. Bill 16 would also make these legislative changes in terms that coincide closely with the recommendations in the BCLI / CCEL report.