In a child protection summary judgment motion under Part III of the Child and Family Services Act, the society sought Crown Wardship without access for a child who had been in care since birth.
The court held there was no genuine issue for trial as against either the mother or the maternal grandmother, finding the evidence showed ongoing concerns about domestic violence, failure to protect, instability, and the absence of a sufficiently secure and permanent kin placement.
Applying the statutory best interests factors, the court concluded that delay would be harmful and that the proposed family placements did not provide the necessary permanency.
The court also held that continued access would not be beneficial and meaningful from the child’s perspective and would likely impair future adoption opportunities.