News release

Small Option Home in Dartmouth Ready to Welcome Residents

Community Services

The Province continues to move people in the Disability Support Program into communities with the establishment of a new small option home in Dartmouth.

The renovated property, bright and inviting, will soon be home to three people living with disabilities. The fully accessible space features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and an outdoor living area and is situated in a well-established, residential neighbourhood. The home is funded and licensed by the Department of Community Services and operated by service provider New Vision.

“Everyone should be able to participate in our communities without barriers,” said Karla MacFarlane, Minister of Community Services. “This is another important step forward and I’m thrilled that three Nova Scotians will now be able to live and engage as part of a neighborhood, will have choice and independence and can pursue their goals.”

The Disability Support Program has been working to phase out large institutional settings over time and shift to community-based housing and support options.

There are currently 14 small option homes under construction in the province. Homes in Glace Bay, Stellarton and Lower Sackville are expected to open this summer. In the fall, four homes in Yarmouth, two in Shelburne, a second home in Stellarton, and homes in Sydney, New Glasgow, Digby and New Minas are expected to open.

To further support community living, the Province has committed $8.8 million this year to remove the cap on the Independent Living Support program. This program provides services to people who live in their own apartment or home and who require a minimal level of support. Over two years, this investment will allow the Disability Support Program to offer this additional support to everyone on the wait-list – more than 400 people.

Also, $3.5 million has been committed to move young adults with severe physical disabilities out of long-term care and into community placements as part of an ongoing effort to ensure people can live where they want to, independently. This initiative will support 200 people over the next four years to live in community.

Quotes:

“New Vision is honoured to be part of the Province’s investment to develop new capacity for community inclusion. The opening of this new small option home is an amazing opportunity for our DSP participants to have a home that meets their needs and be part of a beautiful community. We are very proud of this project and worked hard to deliver the home on time and on budget. We are excited to begin supporting residents next week!”

– Yiwen Zhao-Walsh, Vice-President, New Vision Special Care Homes Ltd.

Quick Facts:

  • Budget 2022-23 invests an additional $54.2 million in programs that support people living with disabilities
  • there are currently over 300 community-based homes in Nova Scotia funded by the Department of Community Services
  • pre-approved designs for small option homes and a list of pre-approved builders are in development to expedite the construction process
  • as part of its ministerial mandate, the Department of Community Services is responsible for providing services under the Disability Support Program

Additional Resources:

Disability Support Program: https://novascotia.ca/coms/disabilities/index.html

Mandate letter of the Minister of Community Services: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DCS-OLA-SOW.pdf

Budget 2022-23: https://novascotia.ca/budget/