Community Services

Labour and Workforce Development

Published April 3, 2009

Training low-skilled workers, increasing affordable housing and improving benefits for low-income families are the focus of Nova Scotia's $155 million Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The core goals of the strategy are improving opportunities for rewarding work, improving supports for people in need, putting a focus on children and collaboration and co-ordination. The strategy provides a co-ordinated, long-term approach to reducing poverty and helping those in need.

Quotes

“The poverty reduction strategy is a framework for breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the standard of living for low-income Nova Scotians."” Minister Chris d'Entremont, Community Services

“This is a long-term plan for a Nova Scotia where resources are used wisely and government and community action is co-ordinated to effectively help those in need.” Minister Mark Parent, Labour and Workforce Development

Quick Facts

• The strategy, introduced today in Kentville, responds to a series of recommendations from the Poverty Reduction Working Group, which was mandated through legislation supported by all three parties.
• About $88 million will be invested to train workers with less than a Grade 12 education level. This will improve opportunities for people to get a job, or in some cases, get a better job. Much of this funding will come from the Canada-Nova Scotia Labour Market Development Agreement and the Labour Market Agreement. The funding will be used to provide skills training and upgrading, and to help with job search strategies.
• Major initiatives to improve supports for people in need include redesigning the Employment Support and Income Assistance program, and investing $59 million to increase access to quality, affordable housing and to develop a provincial housing strategy.
• As part of the focus on children, Nova Scotia's Child Benefit and Low Income Pharmacare for Children program will be available to more families. More child care subsidies will be available and all will be portable.
• Accountability for the strategy will be shared by the departments of Community Services, Economic and Rural Development, Education, Finance, Health, Health Promotion and Protection, Justice, Labour and Workforce Development, and the Treasury and Policy Board.
• Benchmark measures are being identified for each of the core goals and progress will be reported to the public.

Summary of Investments

Enable and Reward Work

• $88 million for training
• $400,000 to stop treating tax refunds as income for income assistance clients

Improve Supports for Those in Need

• $59 million for affordable/public housing
• $2 million to increase income assistance rate by CPI

Focus on Children

• $3.5 million for subsidized day care
• $2.5 million to expand Nova Scotia's Child Benefit and low-income pharmacare

Learn More

Department of Community Services

Department of Labour and Workforce Development

Media Contact

Kevin Finch

Labour and Workforce Development

902-424-0847

E-mail: finchkh@gov.ns.ca

Kristen Tynes

Community Services

902-424-4038

Cell: 902-449-5765

E-mail: tyneskja@gov.ns.ca