Improve Support for those Most in Need

2012-2013

Effective July 1, 2012, we are investing $ 3.4 million to increase personal allowances by $9 per month for 31,000 households.
Effective July 1, 2012, we are increasing the annual Poverty Reduction Credit by over 20%, to $250, enhancing the ability of some 14,000 Nova Scotians who are among the most vulnerable and living in chronic poverty.
Investing $900,000 to expand the Independent Living and Alternative Family Support programs for the second year.
Incorporating a mental health curriculum into health education and healthy living programs; providing mental health training to teachers and support staff and providing tools and information for students and their families.
Developing the Learning Disabilities Support Framework.

Income Assistance Personal Allowance increased by $15 per month for about 31,000 adults receiving income assistance.
Poverty Reduction Credit increased to keep pace with inflation; benefiting about 13,000 income assistance recipients.
The Independent Living and Alternative Family Support programs were expanded to enable 50 additional persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible
Allocated $1.8 million to expand the Caregiver Benefit Program, helping seniors to remain at home in the communities they helped to build, and helping more than 1,000 caregivers.

Doubled the allowable cash asset levels within the income assistance program; available to all recipients of income assistance.
Fair drug prices are expected to lower the cost of the Pharmacare programs for taxpayers; families and seniors enrolled in Pharmacare programs will pay less for prescriptions.
Increased coverage for eye examinations for households in receipt of income assistance.
Invested $50M to create new affordable homes for hundreds of Nova Scotians and to renovate and repair thousands of units
Put an extra $200 per year in the pockets of approximately 15,000 IA recipients through the new Poverty Reduction Credit
18,000 low-income seniors receiving GIS had to pay $12.5M less in provincial taxes.
Opened Mental Health Court in November 2009.

Increased Seniors’ Property Tax Rebate by $200 per year to $600, benefiting more than 14,500 seniors.
Expanded the Direct Family Support program to enable 100 additional persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible.
Increased personal use allowance for income assistance recipients in October 2009 by 3%.