Liberals must act on need for community housing

Government violated human rights of three individuals

Halifax -- Advocates are at Province House today calling on the McNeil Liberals to take the actions required to ensure there are community housing options for people with disabilities. The recent decision from a Human Rights Board of Inquiry found that the government violated the human rights of three individuals who were not able to access appropriate housing options.

“There are hundreds of people with disabilities still waiting for community housing. The government’s response so far has been inadequate,” said NDP Community Services spokesperson Susan Leblanc. “The Community Homes Action Group has repeatedly given the government a failing grade on this file. It is disappointing that the recent budget only continues to promise the same eight community option homes that have been in development for the past two years.”

The Liberal government’s budget does not include any new money for small options homes or move us closer to reaching the goals of the Roadmap for Transforming the Nova Scotia Services to Persons with Disabilities Program, which was released in 2013.

“Six years after the Roadmap was adopted, the 10 year plan for implementation is still only in the initial stages. That’s not good enough,” said Jennifer Powley, Co-Chair of No More Warehousing. “Discrimination you say? You better believe it! This is a gross violation of human rights in our province.”

The Roadmap for Transforming the Nova Scotia Services to Persons with Disabilities Program is a ten year plan that would see all recommendations in place by 2023. The recommendations included ensuring people with disabilities have access to the full range of affordable and accessible housing in the community that is available to all Nova Scotians.

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