By Kendall Worth
I am writing today’s BLOG post thinking about how we are approaching the May long weekend — Victory Day Weekend 2026.
I have previously reported on how Emma, in this BLOG post Here
shared
her story about feeling socially isolated and feeling like she lives
her life as what she described as a “forced introvert” because of
her social and economic circumstances.
However, in today’s BLOG post, I want to report on how Emma is not alone in these feelings.
For many of the people I advocate for through my BLOG, the
Bluenose Marathon — which takes place every year during the May
long weekend — represents much more than simply a marathon. For
more on how some of the people I advocate for feel about the Bluenose
Marathon, see Here
For many people living in poverty and social isolation in Halifax, the Bluenose Marathon represents the unofficial start of Summer.
As
this BLOG post here points
out:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2025/05/social-isolation-reflecting-on-all.html
Summer can become a very emotionally difficult time of year for many people living in poverty and social isolation.
For
some, Summer brings increased feelings of loneliness, exclusion,
anxiety, and reminders of what they feel they are missing out on in
life. In some situations, Summer can even push people further into
poverty itself. A very strong example of this is discussed in this
BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2025/04/summertime-in-nova-scotia-season-of.html
As the
article above discusses, some people on Income Assistance experience
additional financial hardship during the Summer months. For example,
if a person receives the standard household Income Assistance rate of
approximately $1022.00 per month, as reported Here.
And they are temporarily laid off during the Summer and receive Employment Insurance, their Income Assistance cheque may be reduced accordingly. For example, if they receive $400.00 from Employment Insurance, their Income Assistance could be reduced to approximately $622.00 for those months.
However, the issue goes far beyond finances alone.
For some Income Assistance recipients who live along the route of the Bluenose Marathon, they sit inside their apartments watching the marathon pass directly by their windows. Many describe seeing large groups of healthy-looking couples, families, and socially connected people participating together in the event.
To many people watching from the sidelines, the event can become a painful reminder of the differences between their own lives and the lives of those who appear financially stable, socially connected, and emotionally supported.
Many quietly ask themselves:
“Why can’t that be us?”
For many, the reasons go beyond not being able to afford registration fees or running gear. The issue is also connected to mental health struggles, long-term social isolation, and structural barriers connected to poverty itself.
One major issue many people I advocate for discuss is the effect
of the cohabitation policies connected to Income Assistance in Nova
Scotia. These issues are discussed throughout the various BLOG posts
linked
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/cohabitation
Many Income Assistance recipients believe these policies shape the structure of their personal relationships and daily lives in ways that financially better-off people do not have to think about.
The Bluenose Marathon, much like many free public Summer events, is often viewed as a family-oriented and socially connected event. Seeing large groups of happy couples, families, and friends participating together can become emotionally difficult for people who feel socially isolated and disconnected from community life.
If you look Here:
there are many free events taking place throughout the Summer months in Halifax.
Attending these events can be very good for mental health and social connection. However, many people I advocate for through my BLOG also report experiencing significant anxieties about attending them.
As this BLOG post Here reports:
Some people living on Income Assistance describe concerns about personal safety, especially when attending events alone.
Many people I have spoken with reasonably tell me:
“If this
could happen to Mike, it could happen to anyone.”
Mike is not alone in expressing concerns about attending public events by himself.
Because of this, in today’s BLOG post I want to report on why many people living in poverty and dealing with mental health struggles believe stronger community safety and social support systems are needed.
This
is one reason why I continue advocating through my BLOG for the
creation of a Social Prescribing Organization. For more on that
proposal, see
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/social%20prescribing
Many people I speak with believe that if Nova Scotia eventually develops stronger community-based supports, more Income Assistance recipients may one day be able to participate more fully in community life — even if that simply means feeling safe enough to attend events, build friendships, or enjoy Summer activities without fear and isolation.
I now want to provide a recap of the first 3 out of 4 elements of the Social Prescribing Organization I have reported on so far through my BLOG.
Note: My BLOG post on the 4th element is still yet to come.
#1 – In this BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/04/proposal-for-non-professional.html
I
report on the need for Non-Professional Friendship Peer Support
Workers.
#2 – In this BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/05/halifax-faces-growing-social-isolation.html
I
report on the need for friendship skills workshops, boundary-setting
workshops, and support groups.
#3 – In this BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/05/community-voice-advocacy-this-is-third.html
I
report on the need for community voice and advocacy and how the
organization could help provide this support.
Stay tuned for my BLOG post on the 4th element yet to come.
Every BLOG post linked throughout this current article connects back to the larger message I am trying to communicate here: the issue of quality of life.
For many Income Assistance recipients, events like the Bluenose Marathon and public Summer activities become reminders of what quality of life could potentially look like if they had stronger financial supports, greater social inclusion, safer community connections, and better mental health supports.
There are many examples throughout my BLOG discussing downgraded quality of life for Income Assistance recipients.
My BLOG post dated April 22, 2025 linked above provides one example. Additional examples are discussed throughout the BLOG posts connected to the cohabitation policies.
It is sad when someone cannot afford to participate in activities many others take for granted — whether that means registration fees for the Bluenose Marathon or simply being able to comfortably participate in activities along the Halifax Waterfront during the Summer months.
As this BLOG post here states: https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2022/12/ging-jangling-around-with-ideas.html
we can
“Gin Jangle around with ideas,” but at the end of the day the
important question becomes:
What solutions are actually going to
work?
Speaking
further about quality of life, this BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/09/repercussions-suffered-all-of-these.html
shows
another example of what quality of life could potentially look like
if Income Assistance recipients had more money and stronger support
systems to live on.
Another
side to these feelings is experienced even by what some people
jokingly describe as the “20% lucky” Income Assistance recipients
— the ones discussed in this BLOG post
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-first-voice-conversation-about.html
These are people who may at least have one friend in the financially better-off community who still keeps in contact with them. Every situation is different, but in some cases that friend may occasionally invite them over for a meal, a holiday gathering, or some social interaction.
However, as the Summer months begin following the May long weekend, even these limited social connections can become more difficult to maintain.
For example, the financially better-off friend may own or have access to a Summer cottage outside the city and begin spending weekends there throughout the Summer months. As a result, the Income Assistance recipient can end up feeling even more socially isolated during a time of year when feelings of loneliness are already increasing.
Many financially better-off individuals also have spouses or long-term partners in their personal lives — forms of emotional and social support that many Income Assistance recipients feel discouraged from pursuing themselves because of the structure of the system they live under.
This concern has been discussed for years by people living on Income Assistance in Nova Scotia, especially regarding the impact of cohabitation-related policies and fears around losing financial support. This article here from the now-folded Nova Scotia Advocate discusses this issue further:
Now, what I want to advocate for is support for those who have no choice but to attend events on the Halifax Waterfront alone this Summer.
If a Social Prescribing organization already existed here in Halifax, it could develop a community-based safety plan.
Many of these events, like Buskers for example, take place in the evening. People in the communities I advocate for are sometimes more vulnerable when alone in public spaces and may become targets for harassment or unwanted attention.
A
possible solution is bringing back a “someone to go with Event” style
program. This was explored in the event on June 14th,
2023:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/06/june-12th-event-by-mitigating-social.html
and again on June 9th,
2024:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2024/06/all-together-link-is-coming-to-end.html
This initiative was part of the temporary “All Together Link”
project:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/All%20Together%20Link
which originally began under “Mitigating Social Isolation,” as
discussed
here:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/mitigating%20social%20isolation
However, that project ended due to funding running out.
Another option could be matching individuals with Non-Professional Friendship Peer Support Workers, so they do not have to attend events alone if they feel unsafe or anxious.
No one — regardless of income or social situation — should feel unsafe or unsupported when attending community events in our city during the Summer months.
I will end this BLOG post by saying there is strong evidence throughout lived experience and community reporting that social isolation is a serious issue that must be addressed. People on Income Assistance should not be left to go through the Summer months feeling excluded, unsafe, or forgotten from community life.
Lets Find a Solution
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