A man who killed his three children in Merritt nearly five years ago has been given hope he may be transferred to another psychiatric hospital in Manitoba.

The B.C. Review Board has approved the request made by Allan Schoenborn during his latest hearing in Port Coquitlam this morning.

Stacy Galt, who speaks for the family of his victims,  says moving him to another province is a mistake.

"The people that have gone through this whole process, know him and are here and until the laws are passed, for him to be transferred to another province, I don't think we would be able to have a say in. Say if something goes wrong here, we would be able to speak up or have a say in it."

Galt is worried he may be granted more freedom if he's transferred before federal laws are changed to keep him locked up.

"For him to remain here at least for another year or two would be beneficial, to make sure the process has gone through, the laws that have been changed, to make sure everyone, Allan, Darcie, the whole family is taken into consideration."

Galt's cousin, Darcie Clarke, is the mother of the children murdered, Kaitlynne, Max and Cordon.

The family is hoping Allan Schoenborn will be quickly designated a ``high-risk'' offender under new legislation proposed by the federal government.

The children's family has called on B.C's Attorney General to block Schoenborn's transfer.

They say they have family in Manitoba as well, and they can't afford to fly there each year for his review hearings.

Shirley Bond says she's not in a position to comment.
 
However she adds now that the review board has recommended Schoenborn be transferred, the Criminal Justice Branch will consider it.

The branch has said that could take a while.