By Kendall Worth
I have written extensively in both this BLOG and in newspaper articles about the initiative of the previous Liberal Government to undertake a review of Nova Scotia’s Employment Support and Income Assistance program, - a process that promised a “transformation” of the entire system.
There were two main criticisms of this initiative … one was that it moved so slowly that it could not be completed before the McNeil Government fell and was replaced by a new, Houston PC Government which promptly scrapped the entire initiative. And secondly, the transformation process did not meaningfully engage with First Voices, - the people whose lives are dependent upon the ESIA system. This I wrote about here.
Parallel to the ESIA Transformation initiative was a major human rights case which was launched by the Disability Rights Coalition. I have written about the significance of this case and the broader campaign for disability rights in articles here. In summary, the case addressed the practise of institutionalizing persons with disabilities (PWD). The judgement found that there was systemic discrimination in the system and required the government to identify a remedy that would enable Nova Scotians with disabilities to live in community.
Years later, we are beginning to see the emergence of the proposed remedy and some of the challenges faced by the Disability Community, particularly in a time of government austerity and cutbacks. After some legal tos and fros, the framework for the remedy emerged in 2023 (see here) included six key directions with supporting action plans and timelines for implementation.
Progress on the various action plans are summarised on a Provincial Government website and during the recent sitting of the Nova Scotia Legislature, Minister Barbara Adams has spoken to some of these issues in her capacity as Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care.
From what I have
seen and heard there were not a lot of discussions or debate on these issues, so
there has not been much clarification beyond the general pronouncements of the
Government. Central to this is the following online post about the NS
Disability Support Program (DSP).
“Where will
people live?
The richness of the Remedy
is that it does not prescribe where someone will live. The intention of the
Remedy is to empower personal and individual solutions that work for the
individual. This marks a shift away from older models that restricted or even penalized
individuals for coming up with innovative solutions. This flexibility helps
individuals and families re-imagine what could be possible. The highly
individualized nature of the Remedy means that when we work together creatively
and with the individual in the driver’s seat, solutions can be found for
everyone. People with high support needs will have access to IPSCs to ensure
that the individual’s needs are being met and that due consideration is being
given to safety planning.”
Also:
“I’ve been working with one of our participants for the last six
months to support her transition from Harbour Glen to community. This has been
her goal for many years. We talked through and looked at several different
options before landing on the right fit – and the right mix of community-based
supports – to support a good life in Nova Scotia. When I talked to her last
week, she spoke with pride about her beautiful new apartment and was especially
excited about the in-suite washer and dryer.”
— Scott M. Hart, intensive planning and support co-ordinator,
Halifax, Department of Opportunities and Social Development
Do not get me wrong - all of this sounds VERY positive and I strongly believe that supporting persons with disabilities to move out of Institutions and into communities while still accessing the required support and services is a great and wonderful thing.
But this initiative needs to be accompanied by across the board improvements to ALL parts of the DSP program. I have written extensively about the many shortcomings of the DSP and there remain many outstanding questions to be addressed, prompted by Barbara Adams’ recent speeches in the Legislature:
◦
Is
there any intention of increasing Income Assistance rates to a livable amount?
◦
Is
there any commitment to addressing – and fixing - the bureaucratic nonsense
that governs the Special Diet Allowance program?
◦
Is
there an opening to reconsider the conditions and criteria for support for persons
with disabilities who want to pursue higher education opportunities? (This
issue was covered in my series on Carrie Ann Bugden.)
◦ Is there scope for improved portability or access to benefits for persons with disabilities from other provinces moving to Nova Scotia?
The lives of persons living with disabilities is a complicated, ever-changing puzzle. The initiative to facilitate the move of people out of institutions into community is an important piece of that puzzle. But it is only one of many pieces in that puzzle.
It is hard for
Nova Scotians to have confidence in this Government after their recent efforts in
the 2026 budget to cut funding for programs and organizations that directly serve
persons with disabilities, as reported here. Yes,
after much public uproar and pushback, that funding was re-instated. But this
is not the way to build a trusting or respectful relationship.
Which leads us, I suppose to one last set of questions for Minister Adams:
• Do
you believe that by focusing on the need to provide PWD the opportunity to move
out of institutions into community means that this relieves you from the task
of addressing ALL the other ongoing problems with the DSP? and
•
Will
you commit to protecting Nova Scotia’s Disability Community from the threat of
similar cutbacks in future budgets?
We will await a response with great interest!
Kendall Worth is an award-winning anti-poverty activist who lives with disabilities and tries to make ends meet on income assistance.
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