Enable and Reward Work

2012-2013

Investing $863,000 in Employment Support Services to help finding and keeping a job.
Increased the minimum wage to $10.15 on April 1, 2012.
Investing $12.5M to improve the student assistance program .
Developing Careers Nova Scotia to better support career planners, job seekers, and employers.
Investing $79.6 M in training for individuals EI qualified through the LMDA and for non-EI eligible client the LMA will invest $19.1M.
Investing 1.58 M in expanded workplace education programs to increase essential skills of workers and human resource skills of hiring managers.
Investing $100,000 to support work of community-based temporary foreign workers support/navigational services administered through the NS Office of Immigration.
Expanding co-operative education opportunities.
Expanding Options and Opportunities (O2) for students to regain interest and excitement in school and find their post-secondary and career path.

Implemented a flat rate wage of $150 per month in addition to the current exemption of 30% for working income assistance recipients.
Doubled flat rate exemption for disabled clients from $150 to $300 per month
Increased Minimum Wage in Nova Scotia to $10 an hour.
Increased basic personal income tax exemption by $250.
The three-year, $7.5 million pilot program Skills Up! helped approximately 300 African Nova Scotians returning to school under the LMA to get the training needed for good jobs.

Expanded One Journey programming for income assistant participants across the province, spending $1.2M in LMA funds.
Employment Assistance Services funded 62 community agencies to deliver employment services to unemployed persons ($21 million to 62 agencies).
Expanded number of Nova Scotia high schools offering co-operative education to 84.
Increased Minimum Wage to $9.65.
2,500 IA households had additional income of $676,345 from income tax refunds
Invested more than $400,000 through the Nova Scotia School of Adult Learning, resulting in 100 new Continuing Care Assistants certified and working

Income tax refunds received by income assistance recipients no longer treated as income.
Increased Minimum Wage to $8.60 per hour.