Personal Planning Legislation

On October 7, 2009, the Honourable Mike de Jong introduced Bill 13 in the provincial Legislature. This Bill contains amendments to the Adult Guardianship and Planning Statutes Amendments Act (also known as Bill 29) which was passed in October 2007 but is not yet in effect. Bill 13 allows the Planning Statutes amendments to be brought into effect separately from the Adult Guardianship Act amendments.

Proclamation of the Planning Statutes amendments has been held up because they are currently dependent on the Adult Guardianship Act amendments which have been delayed due to cost restraints. Bill 13 will allow the Planning Statutes amendments to proceed independently.

“We are very pleased that government has listened to the community and found a way for the personal planning amendments to move forward”, says Joanne Taylor, Executive Director of the Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry. “Nidus led a broad group of community organizations who met with former Attorney General Wally Oppal prior to the last election to ask for a solution to the delay. Our subsequent brief to the new Attorney General was heard and we applaud Minister de Jong for making this a priority.”

The bringing into effect of amendments to the Representation Agreement Act, Power of Attorney Act and the Health Care Consent and Care Facility Admission Act will enable British Columbians to engage in meaningful and effective planning for future care in the event they need help managing their affairs. This was the goal of Charting the Course Ahead, a proposal written by Nidus and submitted to government in October 2006, which paved the way for the personal planning amendments.

“The passage of Bill 13 and proclamation of the planning amendments will bring certainty and provide accessibility to Representation Agreements, the product of a grass-roots law reform effort that began over 20 years ago. Representation Agreements are a crucial legal tool for adults who want to plan for their future and most importantly for adults who need support with decision-making today.”

Thank you to the many citizens and community groups who have been committed to ensuring that all British Columbians have access to safe and effective legal tools that preserve their dignity and identity and provide support for their wishes and preferences in times of need.

Nidus would like to acknowledge, in particular, the Alzheimer Society of BC, BC Association of Community Living, BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of BC and Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network. And thank you to our current project funders: the Law Foundation of BC, the Vancouver Foundation, the Notary Foundation, the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Victoria Foundation.

Keep in touch with Nidus to find out how the personal planning amendments apply to you and your constituency and when they will come into effect.

Nidus is a non-profit, charitable organization. Visit them at http://www.nidus.ca.

Contact Nidus at 604-408-7414 or info@nidus.ca