N.S. welfare freeze taking a toll in inflationary times: ‘I can’t even afford a can of fruit’ | 24CA News

Sandra Page wonders how the Nova Scotia authorities expects her to stay wholesome after its latest price range froze welfare funds regardless of greater than a yr of excessive inflation.

“I sometimes go to ask for help out on the street — panhandling — which I shouldn’t have to do,” she mentioned throughout a latest interview when requested how she manages to pay her month-to-month prices.

The 59-year-old Halifax resident mentioned a hand damage prevents her from working and that she depends on month-to-month revenue help of $950 — together with a particular fee of about $220 to cowl medical and dietary wants for a thyroid situation. But after hire is paid, there’s not sufficient to purchase the wholesome meals her situation requires, she mentioned.

The Progressive Conservative authorities has emphasised fixing well being care as its prime focus, and its March price range for the 2023-24 fiscal yr stored welfare charges at 2021 ranges. But circumstances like Page’s are elevating criticisms that the federal government is just too harsh on the province’s poorest residents.

Lori Turnbull, director of the college of public administration at Dalhousie University, mentioned she understands that the main focus of Premier Tim Houston is on recruiting docs and nurses, however is “baffled” his authorities isn’t seeing how leaving welfare charges unchanged could ship extra individuals to hunt medical care.

“It seems an obvious thing for the government to do (increase the income assistance rates). Why it’s not a priority, I don’t know … I just don’t get it,” she mentioned in a latest interview.

In his annual price range evaluation, Vince Calderhead — a human rights lawyer with Pink Larkin — says the choice towards rising the revenue help charges throughout excessive inflation is without doubt one of the harshest strikes he’s seen in 11 years of monitoring the problem.

He mentioned that since welfare charges final went up in May 2021 — beneath the prior Liberal authorities — total inflation in Nova Scotia elevated by about 11 per cent, a determine the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council confirms.

“The failure to increase rates at all means the provincial cabinet has effectively chosen to significantly increase food insecurity,” Calderhead wrote in an e mail.

He’s calculated how a lot additional individuals like Page are falling under the poverty line of $27,631 — a determine based mostly on the flexibility to pay for a fundamental combine of products and companies like meals, footwear, transport and shelter. She and different single adults with disabilities have incomes about half that quantity, and Calderhead’s calculations estimate that with 3.7 per cent inflation in 2023-24, their month-to-month revenue would fall one other $37.50 monthly in buying energy.

For Page, inflation and a freeze in her welfare funds have compelled her to purchase cheaper meals. “I buy canned food now sometimes. But canned meat is not as good as hamburger.”

Less contemporary meals results her well being and sends her to the physician’s workplace extra typically, she mentioned. “I can’t even afford a can of fruit.”

The Maytree Foundation, a Toronto-based anti-poverty group, estimated that in 2021 there have been on common virtually 28,000 circumstances, together with households and single adults, and virtually 42,800 beneficiaries, receiving Nova Scotia’s employment help and revenue help packages.

The basis has mentioned that New Brunswick and Nova Scotia had the bottom social help charges within the nation in 2021.

Mohy Tabbara, a coverage adviser at Maytree, mentioned in an interview Monday that whereas New Brunswick made small revenue help will increase in its latest price range, “Nova Scotia is falling behind the rest of the country.”

Tabbara famous there have been plenty of one-time helps launched final yr by the Nova Scotia authorities, corresponding to a fee of $150 per family to assist get better from post-tropical storm Fiona. “But these were one-time payments and people lost them this year.”

The authorities additionally factors to sure focused packages, corresponding to an funding of $8 million to extend the month-to-month Nova Scotia baby advantages, and $100 million to offer home-heating rebates.

When requested concerning the welfare fee freeze, Community Services Minister Karla MacFarlane talked about the federal government’s focused packages, and repeated its message that well being care is the number one precedence.

“I think this government has been very clear we were presenting a budget that was based on health care, and we have made significant investments in health care,” she mentioned Friday.

Turnbull mentioned she wonders about this communications technique, including that there’s little proof that letting the poorest residents fall sufferer to inflation solidifies the get together’s base.

“They’ve got a communications line about being focused on health care,” she mentioned. “Yes, yes, we heard that. But you’re also the government, and that means keeping multiple balls in the air at one time.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 24, 2023.

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