What is the definition of committee? Is this one person or a group?

Written by admin on February 26, 2015

1. What is the definition of committee? Is this one person or group of persons (like a committee – 4 to 10 persons)?

The definition of “committee” is as follows: A committee is a person appointed by the Court under the authority of the Patients Property Act to act as a substitute decision maker for an adult who has been found by the Court to be mentally incapable of managing his or her affairs or person or both.

The Public Guardian and Trustee may be a committee of estate or person for an adult. A financial institution (trust company) may be appointed to act as committee of estate only (not person).

All committees have a legal duty to act in the adult’s best interests and to account to the Public Guardian and Trustee or to the Court for their management of the adult’s affairs. Usually only one person is appointed to act as committee for an adult but in some circumstances, the court may appoint two or more persons to act as co-committees for an adult. This, however, is rare.

CATHERINE ROMANKO, Public Guardian and Trustee

RESOURCES

Nidus fact sheet on Adult Guardianship

Private Committee Services Handbook
Published by the office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. This publication provides detail about the responsibilities and duties that would apply to a person who becomes a committee of estate for an adult.

Nidus partnered with BC Courthouse Libraries to raise awareness about BC’s essential legal planning documents and the Nidus Registry. The kick off event was held on September 15th at the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch with a panel of experts in the field. Questions that were submitted will be answered in a series of posts by Nidus and various panel members. To see photos from the event click Gallery; and click Registry Sing-a-long for the fun of it!