An Open Letter as the Nova Scotia Legislature Prepares to Resume on September 23, 2025

 

By Kendall Worth

 

 

Dear Members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly,

My name is Kendall Worth, and as the Legislature prepares to sit in less than two weeks, I am compelled to raise my voice on behalf of those who cannot.

As many of you know, I regularly write about poverty issues in Halifax and across Nova Scotia. (See here: https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/Nova%20Scotia%20legislature Usually, I share my concerns through blog posts before each session begins. But this time, I am writing directly to you in an open letter because the urgency is greater than ever.

 

Nova Scotia continues to face a growing crisis:

• Poverty remains widespread. Current income assistance rates stand at $1,005 per month—an increase since January 2025, but still far from enough to live on. I documented this history here: https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-rise-of-introverts-in-halifax-and.html The truth is: Nova Scotians relying on income assistance are no better off today than they were before.

• Homelessness is increasing. More of our neighbors are without housing, dignity, or stability. For more on how our homeless population is suffering I encouraging you to look at the Helping the Homeless in Nova Scotia Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1184913062008614/ You will see lots of evendients of suffering. 

• Mental health supports are failing. I have seen first-hand how many people in my community have lost hope, not because they lack ambition, but because programs and services that once gave them opportunity have been taken away. The closure of Metro Works on March 6, 2025 (see: https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2025/03/an-open-letter-to-those-who-can-or-have.html

  The frustration and despair I witness daily are not abstract—they are lived realities of people struggling to survive in Halifax and across this province. And these realities demand action.

  Finally, one of the most urgent issues still unresolved: far too many Nova Scotians remain without a family doctor. The exact number may be unclear, but it is unquestionably large. This backlog must be addressed with speed and seriousness.

   Members of the House: you have the power to change these conditions. With this upcoming session, Nova Scotians deserve more than words—they deserve positive, concrete results.

   Sincerely,
  Kendall Worth