In this child protection proceeding under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017, the maternal grandmother moved to be added as a party and sought expanded, unsupervised, and overnight access to her two young grandchildren.
The Hamilton Child & Family Supports agency opposed the motion, arguing that the grandmother did not qualify as a statutory parent and that her past conduct raised safety and cooperation concerns.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed the motion, finding that the grandmother failed to establish that her participation as a party was necessary or in the children's best interests.
The court also declined to expand access, noting that the children required stability and that the grandmother's current supervised access was sufficient.
