Amendments to the Child, Family and Community Service Act introduced in the legislature
October 10, 2019
BY Kevin Zakreski
Earlier this week, a bill amending the Child, Family and Community Service Act was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. A government information bulletin issued to publicize the bill (Bill 35) called the changes “[m]inor amendments” that “would clarify the intention that Indigenous communities have the ability to plan for all their children and youth in care and are able to deliver a broad range of supports and services to their children and families, as well as to children who identify as non-Indigenous or members of other nations.”
The proposed amendments affect one section of the act. They are brief and may be quoted in full:
21 Section 92.1 (2) of the Child, Family and Community Service Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 46, is amended
(a) in paragraph (a) (v) by striking out “who are in the continuing custody of the director” and substituting “who are in the custody, care or guardianship of a director”, and
(b) in paragraph (b) by striking out “to provide preventive or support services to their children and families” and substituting “to provide services”.
Bill 35 received first reading on Monday, 7 October 2019, and second reading on Tuesday, 8 October 2019. The section amending the Child, Family and Community Service Act will come into force on royal assent.
The amendments to the Child, Family and Community Service Act are part of the proposed Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2019, which also amends 21 other statutes, including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Motor Vehicle Act, and the Provincial Sales Tax Act.
