By Kendall Worth
Dear Premier Houston and Minister Corkum-Greek,
Hello,
My
name is Kendall Worth, and I am writing to you today following my
previous open letter to Minister Susan Corkum-Greek, published on May
30,
2026:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/05/an-open-letter-to-minister-susan-corkum.html
Following that letter, I read the Nova Scotia Government's recent
announcement regarding its partnership with Dalhousie University's
School of Social Work. The announcement can be found
here:
https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2026/05/28/province-partners-dalhousie-university-expand-supports-people-disabilities
I also
reviewed this news
report:
https://halifax.citynews.ca/2026/05/28/n-s-dalhousie-create-disability-support-outreach-team/
As well as Dalhousie University's own announcement regarding the
partnership:
https://www.dal.ca/faculty/health/news-events/news/2026/05/28/dal_partners_with_the_government_of_nova_scotia_to_expand_supports_for_people_with_disabilities.html
I want to begin by saying that I appreciate the effort being made through this initiative. The supports being discussed may prove beneficial for persons with disabilities who are transitioning from institutions into community living. As I have previously reported on my recent BLOG post Here.
The transition from institutional care to independent community living can be challenging, and any service that helps people navigate systems, access resources, and build greater independence is a positive step forward.
However, while I recognize the value of these supports, I believe there is a larger issue that continues to be overlooked.
The announcement focuses on helping persons with disabilities live independently, yet true independence requires more than access to support workers and social services. Independence also requires the financial ability to live with dignity.
This announcement comes at a time when Income Assistance rates remain far below what many people need to meet their basic living expenses. As discussed in this BLOG post below.
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2026/01/turns-out-2026-starts-off-with-another.html
At the same time, the Province has indicated that it is not currently pursuing a Basic Guaranteed Income, as discussed Here. While supports and services are important, they cannot replace adequate income. A person may have access to case workers, outreach teams, and navigation services, but if they cannot afford rent, groceries, transportation, or basic necessities, then true independence remains out of reach.
This is why I believe the Government of Nova Scotia must begin looking at independence through a broader lens. Independence is not simply about living outside an institution. Independence means having the resources necessary to make choices, participate in community life, and live with dignity.
Years
ago, I wrote about this issue in the Nova Scotia
Advocate:
https://nsadvocate.org/2018/01/23/kendall-worth-raise-the-income-assistance-rates-for-the-sake-of-our-dignity/
The central message remains just as relevant today: dignity cannot be achieved without adequate income.
Likewise, this article highlights a concern that many persons with disabilities continue to express:
Government must not only provide services—it must also listen to the lived experiences of the people those services are intended to support.
I want to be clear: the initiatives announced in these recent news releases are steps in the right direction. However, independence requires more than support services alone.
People need to be able to afford rent. They need to be able to pay their bills. They need to be able to buy groceries. They need opportunities for social inclusion and meaningful participation in their communities.
Equally important, government policies should not unintentionally contribute to social isolation.
Some persons with disabilities may choose to live alone. Others may wish to live with an intimate partner and build a life together. Those choices should be respected.
Unfortunately,
Nova Scotia's cohabitation policies continue to create barriers for
many people who wish to pursue those relationships. As documented
throughout the various BLOG posts found Here.
These policies can discourage people from forming households and
relationships that would otherwise improve their quality of life,
emotional well-being, and sense of belonging. If the goal is truly to help persons with disabilities achieve
independence, then the conversation must extend beyond supports and
services alone. It must also include income adequacy, dignity,
housing affordability, social inclusion, and the right to build
meaningful relationships without fear of financial penalty.
I would like to conclude this letter by sharing one reason why I am personally encouraged by your decision to partner with Dalhousie University's School of Social Work.
If you look through the BLOG posts found at this
link,
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/mitigating%20social%20isolation you
will see that in 2023 a community project called Mitigating
Social Isolation was launched. I invite you to read the BLOG
post dated June 14, 2023, which documents the first event we ever
held.
As the
project evolved, it eventually became known as All Together
Link:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/search/label/All%20Together%20Link
Throughout
the development of this initiative, we received support from the
Dalhousie Social Work Clinic. As documented in this BLOG
post:
https://worthmatters.blogspot.com/2023/11/dalhousie-social-work-clinic-supports.html the
Clinic played an important role in supporting the project and the
people involved in it.
Over the years, both I and many of the individuals I advocate for through my BLOG have had direct interactions with the Dalhousie Social Work Clinic and the School of Social Work. Based on those experiences, I can say that they do valuable work in our community and have made a positive difference in the lives of many people.
For that reason, I am genuinely pleased to see this partnership moving forward. I believe the knowledge, experience, and community connections that Dalhousie University's School of Social Work brings to the table can help improve supports for persons with disabilities across Nova Scotia.
However, as you move forward with this initiative, I respectfully ask that you also continue the conversation about income adequacy and Basic Guaranteed Income.
While support services are important, true independence requires more than services alone. People must also have enough income to live with dignity, maintain stable housing, participate in their communities, and avoid the social isolation that so many continue to experience.
I hope that this new partnership becomes part of a broader conversation about what persons with disabilities need to thrive in Nova Scotia. Support services matter. Social inclusion matters. But financial security matters as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and consider the perspectives shared within it.
Sincerely,
Kendall Worth
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