As people struggle with inflation in N.S., still no plans from premier for further relief
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston mentioned the province continues to have a look at choices to alleviate the impression of inflation on Nova Scotians, however stopped in need of asserting concrete plans to assist folks address the rising value of residing.
“There’s no query with gasoline costs, affordability generally, it’s having a big impact on Nova Scotians. Nova Scotians are struggling,” mentioned Houston.
“We proceed to have a look at alternatives to help Nova Scotians,” he mentioned, with out saying what precisely they’re contemplating.
“We’re reaching out to the federal authorities, we’re speaking to our colleagues and premiers throughout the nation simply to see what’s attainable.”
Houston made the feedback Thursday, two weeks after Finance Minister Allan MacMaster promised additional reduction would come “quickly” for folks on revenue help and people with decrease incomes.
Whereas different provinces have introduced focused reduction measures just lately, Houston denied that his authorities isn’t doing sufficient to assist.
“I disagree that we haven’t carried out something,” he mentioned, referring to a $13.2-million package announced in March geared toward serving to folks on revenue help.
“Inflation is a worldwide state of affairs. It’s not distinctive to Nova Scotia, it’s not distinctive to Canada.”
The bundle Houston referenced included further funding for meals banks and a one-time fee of $150 to folks on revenue help and to these eligible to obtain the province’s heating help rebate.
It’s unclear precisely how far that one-time fee would have gone to assist those that obtained it, given the quickly rising value of housing, meals, and gas.
In response to leases.ca’s Might 2022 lease report, the typical month-to-month value to lease in RisePEI in April was $1,621 for a one-bedroom and $1,962 for a two-bedroom. For comparability, in February 2020, these numbers have been $1,286 and $1,614, respectively.
In the meantime, Feed Nova Scotia mentioned Wednesday it distributed a report quantity of meals over the past fiscal 12 months.
Meals costs throughout the nation have been up practically 10 per cent in April from a 12 months earlier, in keeping with Statistics Canada, and the Canada Meals Value Report suggests meals prices will go up between 5 to seven per cent this 12 months.
As nicely, as of Thursday, gasoline costs stay at greater than $2 per litre throughout the province.
Houston mentioned regardless of the province comes up with subsequent will should be “sustainable.”
He mentioned there’s a “lot to stability” and urged that offering reduction may impression funding for companies similar to well being care, training and habit help.
“Taking a short-term measure that might doubtlessly have long-term ramifications that are damaging on the power to ship companies … we’ve to ensure we’ve a long-term view right here,” he mentioned.
“However we all know that Nova Scotians are struggling and we’ll proceed to have discussions about what is feasible, and once we see one thing that’s sustainable and can have a significant impression, we’ll definitely take that step.”
What different provinces are doing
On Wednesday, the federal government of New Brunswick mentioned it’ll distribute a one-time fee of $225 to low-income people and $450 to households. The funding will probably be given to people who find themselves already receiving provincial low-income or housing advantages.
And late final month, the federal government of Newfoundland and Labrador mentioned it will quickly minimize provincial gasoline taxes and supply a one-time fee to assist complement the price of furnace oil. That fee is income-tested based mostly on household web revenue.
Newfoundland and Labrador can even speed up its plans to extend the minimal wage to $15, with that wage anticipated to be applied in October 2023.
Nova Scotia has already introduced plans to extend its minimal wage to $15 an hour by April 2024 – an quantity that also falls in need of what was thought of to be a residing wage final 12 months.
In response to the Canadian Centre for Coverage Options, Nova Scotia’s residing wage, which is what an individual would want to earn to help their household and pay for all primary requirements, ranged between $18.45 in Cape Breton and $22.05 in RisePEI in 2021.
On Thursday, MacMaster, the finance minister, mentioned there aren’t any plans to extend the wage sooner – even though the deliberate wage will increase have been introduced in January, earlier than the report inflation charges seen in latest months.
“There’s numerous opinions on minimal wage,” he mentioned.
“On the finish of the day, we need to be sure that companies on the market can proceed to afford to maintain folks working. That’s essential.”
MacMaster added that there are “rather a lot” of employers on the lookout for workers, although he didn’t point out what number of of them pay minimal wage, and if low wages could also be contributing to the labour scarcity.
“Regardless of the ache that inflation is bringing, a minimum of we do have an economic system the place there are jobs,” he mentioned.
Like Houston, MacMaster mentioned he doesn’t need any potential reduction packages to “jeopardize” the supply of different companies like well being care.
Though there aren’t any plans to usher in reduction packages additional to the one introduced in March, MacMaster pointed to different measures the federal government has applied, such because the cap on property taxes and lease will increase.
“We supplied focused help, however there are additionally protections for folks in place like these objects,” he mentioned.
“On the finish of the day, we’re going to proceed to observe the state of affairs.”
MacMaster has already dominated out a minimize to gasoline taxes, saying these revenues assist pay for important companies and infrastructure.
