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.
2011-2012
- 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.
2010-2011
- 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
2009-2010
- Income tax refunds received by income assistance recipients no longer treated as income.
- Increased Minimum Wage to $8.60 per hour.
Next: Improve Support for those Most in Need