The Tri-County Women’s Centre in Yarmouth is among a dozen anti-poverty groups calling for an immediate increase in Nova Scotia’s basic income assistance rates.
Executive director Bernadette MacDonald says income assistance rates have remained the same for the last three years, while the cost of food and shelter continues to increase.
She says while the province has said there will be no increase in rates until the 2019-20 budget, the need is here now.
“The increase has been very minimal over the last 20 years. The cost of living has gone up and it’s very difficult to find affordable housing.”
MacDonald says the province has come forward with a process for groups like the Tri-County Women’s Centre to help people get off assistance.
She says that’s great but the not-for-profit organizations are not going to correct the poverty that people are living in.
MacDonald says only government can do that.
