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Two-Year Financial Independence


Definitions

Dependent child

Family unit

Financially independent

Income assistance

MCFD

Medical practitioner

Nurse Practitioner

Spouse

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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 per cent of each month and relies on that parent for the necessities of life.

[see EA Act, Section 1 or EAPWD Act, Section 1 for legal definition]

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Family unit

An applicant or a recipient and his or her dependants.

[see EA Act, Section 1 or EAPWD Act, Section 1 for legal definition]

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Financially independent

At least one applicant in a family unit must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • have worked for at least 840 hours in each of two consecutive years

  • have earned at least $7,000 in gross income in each of two consecutive years

  • have been employed for a portion of two consecutive years, and for the balance of the two years, either:

    • have served a waiting period for or received Employment Insurance (EI)

    • have received income from a private or public income replacement program (for example, Workers’ Compensation Board, Canada Pension Plan, Disability Insurance)

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Income assistance

An amount for shelter and support provided under the Employment and Assistance Act.

[see EA Act, Section 1 for legal definition]

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MCFD

Ministry of Children and Family Development

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Medical practitioner

A member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia who is entitled to practice under the Health Professions Act. 

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Nurse Practitioner

A member of the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia who is entitled to practice under the Health Professions Act.

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Spouse

Two persons, including persons of the same gender, are spouses of each other if they are married to each other, or they reside together and acknowledge they are residing together in a marriage –like relationship, or they have resided together in a marriage-like relationship for at least 3 consecutive months or 9 out of the previous 12 months and the relationship demonstrates both financial and social familial characteristics consistent with a marriage-like relationship.

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