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

1 Section 44 of the Adoption Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 5, is repealed and the following substituted:

44 (1) One adult alone or 2 adults jointly may apply to the court to adopt another adult.

(2) The court may make the adoption order without the consent of anyone, except the person to be adopted, as long as

(a) the person adopting is older by a reasonable number of years than the person to be adopted; and

(b) the court considers the reason for the adoption acceptable.

(2.1) Where an application is made to adopt an adult, the court shall take into consideration, in addition to any other relevant considerations, that that person, as a child, lived with the applicant as a member of the family and was maintained by the applicant until the person became self supporting or became an adult.

(3) An adoption order made with respect to an adult has the same effect as an adoption order made with respect to a child.