Foster parents moved to be added as parties in a child protection proceeding involving three children who had been in their care for 22 months.
The Sarnia-Lambton Children's Aid Society and the children's parents sought a final order based on a Statement of Agreed Facts, which proposed placing the children in three different kin homes.
The court dismissed the foster parents' motion for full party status, finding they did not qualify as statutory parents and lacked a legal interest for discretionary party status.
However, recognizing their significant role and the need for all relevant evidence, the court granted the foster parents expanded participatory rights, including the ability to file evidence, cross-examine witnesses, and make submissions regarding the children's disposition of care.
The court also declined to issue the final order based on the Statement of Agreed Facts due to concerns about the proposed plan and missing evidence, requiring a focused hearing on disposition.
