Slideshow image

This edition follows the December meeting of the Face of Poverty Consultation (FACE). FACE is part of the Diocesan Fairness in Basis Needs Social Justice Ministry. FACE welcomes new members and meets monthly (now by Zoom). Contact Andy Sherin at nspeijustice@gmail.com if you have questions or would like to consider joining FACE or contributing to the Fairness Basis Needs ministry.

In this issue:

Child Poverty Report Cards for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

Highlights from the Housing and Homelessness Partnership Symposium

HARP (Heating Assistance Rebate Program) for Nova Scotia  

Figure credit: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) 2021 report card on Child and Family Poverty in Nova Scotia

This House [of Commons] “seek(s) to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000”. – House of Commons, unanimous all-party resolution, November 24, 1989

In 1989 the House of Commons voted unanimously for a motion to eliminate child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. As the figure above shows although there has been some progress towards this goal there is more work to be done especially in Nova Scotia.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released is 2021 report card on Child and Family Poverty in Nova Scotia that states “Nova Scotia has performed the worst [in Canada] in reducing child poverty from 1989 levels. Almost 1 in 4 children in Nova Scotia live in poverty.” Read the report and the CCPA recommendations at: https://campaign2000.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Nova-Scotia-2021-RC-child-family-poverty-NS-Final-English.pdf

The Face of Poverty Consultation will be reviewing the Nova Scotia Provincial Government’s plan to reduce childhood poverty early in the new year and will report in the NetNews. The Minister of Community Services’ mandate letter directs the Minster to prepare a plan to reduce child poverty within 90 days.

The MacKillop Centre for Social Justice and PEI Coalition for a Poverty Eradication Strategy released their Eighth Annual Report on Child and Family Poverty on Prince Edward Island – 2021 that states “The overall child poverty rate for PEI declined by one percentage point from 19.4% in 2018 to 18.4% in 2019, but remained 0.8% above the national average”. Read the report at: PEI-2021-Child-Poverty-Report-Card-version2.pdf (campaign2000.ca)

Housing

The Archdiocese of Halifax and Yarmouth is building and siting temporary shelters. These shelters meet building codes and are acceptable to HRM planning but they cost $11,000 each.  

Have a look at the first shelter built at: Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth - Emergency Shelters Project (halifaxyarmouth.org)

And you can donate to the building of shelters at: Emergency Shelters Project (halifaxyarmouthad-app.azurewebsites.net)

The HRM Housing and Homeless Partnership held its annual Housing Symposium on November 22. The full replay of the symposium can be watched at 2021 Annual Housing Symposium (vimeo.com)

Some highlights

The YWCA in collaboration with other organizations has produced a series of animated videos entitled Home for Good that explore the challenges women face finding suitable housing.

Video 1 Centring Women’s Voices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weTvcHLT6dQ

Video 2 Desperate for Housing https://youtu.be/W217sasRYDw 

Video 3 When have you felt unsafe?  https://youtu.be/W217sasRYDw

Video 4 Lost in the system https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABd0DTwoFRg

The YWCA supports women leaving abusive relationships via the December 6 Fund which provides small repayable loans to support the women establishing a new home. Read more about the December 6 Fund at YWCA Halifax here.

December 6th Fund At 1hour and 15 minutes in the symposium video is a presentation by Pauline MacIntosh from the St. Francis Xavier University Extension Department talking about their project Build Together: Strengthening the Community Housing Sector in Nova Scotia. They have held four series of consultations, drafted a model for advancing community housing and written several thematic briefs. You can read more about it at: Build Together: Strengthening the Community Housing Sector in Nova Scotia - Coady Institute (stfx.ca) At 2 hours and 18 minutes Marcel LeBrun, from the social enterprise 12 Neighbours Inc. talks about the tiny home project in Fredericton, New Brunswick that not only will provide homes for persons who are homeless but also work at developing community amongst the residents. Each home will have a full kitchen, three-piece bathroom, loft and living space and cost $40,000. At 2 hours and 37 minutes Curtis Whilley speaks about the community land trust being developed for the black community of Upper Hammonds Plains.

HARP (Heating Assistance Rebate Program)

The Heating Assistance Rebate Program helps low-income Nova Scotians with the cost of home heating. Rebates range from $100 to $200. You can apply until 31 March 2022. For more information about eligibility and how to apply visit: https://beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/heating-assistance-rebate-program-harp