HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Employment and Assistance Act

1 The Employment and Assistance Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 40, is amended by adding the following section:

Consequences in relation to outstanding arrest warrants

15.2  (1) No income assistance, hardship assistance or supplement may be paid to or for a family unit on account of an applicant or recipient for whom a warrant for arrest has been issued under

(a) the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or

(b) any other enactment of Canada in relation to an indictable offence, and

on whom the warrant has not been executed.

(2) Despite section 5 and subsection (1) of this section, and subject to the regulations, the minister may provide

(a) income assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement to or for the family unit on account of the person who is subject to the warrant, or

(b) a supplement to

(i) the person who is the subject of the warrant, for the purpose of the person returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant, or

(ii) the family unit, for the purpose of the family unit returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant.

(3) If a family unit includes a person described in subsection (1), the person's income and assets must be included in the income and assets of the family unit for the purposes of determining whether the family unit is eligible for income assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement, except as otherwise provided in the regulations.

(4) In this section, "indictable offence" includes an offence that is deemed under section 34 (1) of the Interpretation Act (Canada) to be an indictable offence.

Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act

2 The Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 41, is amended by adding the following section:

Consequences in relation to outstanding arrest warrants

14.2  (1) No disability assistance, hardship assistance or supplement may be paid to or for a family unit on account of an applicant or recipient for whom a warrant for arrest has been issued under

(a) the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or

(b) any other enactment of Canada in relation to an indictable offence, and

on whom the warrant has not been executed.

(2) Despite section 6 and subsection (1) of this section, and subject to the regulations, the minister may provide

(a) disability assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement to or for the family unit on account of the person who is subject to the warrant, or

(b) a supplement to

(i) the person who is the subject of the warrant, for the purpose of the person returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant, or

(ii) the family unit, for the purpose of the family unit returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant.

(3) If a family unit includes a person described in subsection (1), the person's income and assets must be included in the income and assets of the family unit for the purposes of determining whether the family unit is eligible for disability assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement, except as otherwise provided in the regulations.

(4) In this section, "indictable offence" includes an offence that is deemed under section 34 (1) of the Interpretation Act (Canada) to be an indictable offence.

Commencement

3  This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.