Children and Foodbanks

I gave the following members statement on February 28, 2024:

At the beginning of 2024, the North Dartmouth Outreach Resource Centre Society, one of Dartmouth North’s local food banks, posted a sobering figure to its Facebook page. In 2023, the average number of children served by the food bank went up to 70 in 2023 from 31 in 2022. Even more sobering is that the average number of children served by the food bank in both 2021 and 2020 was 15. 

That means that today, the North Dartmouth Outreach Resource Centre alone is serving 55 more children than they were three years ago. They’re just one of the many food banks in Dartmouth North, and of course the province, that is serving the people bearing the brunt of the affordability crisis. Nova Scotia has the highest child poverty rate in Atlantic Canada, and approximately one in four kids in Nova Scotia don’t get enough to eat every day. There are so many things we can and must do to reduce and eliminate child poverty, some of which we have proposed in this Legislature. 

I hope that every member in this House can commit themselves this session to working toward a world where no family has to rely on a food bank to feed their children.

Dartmouth North Mobile Food Market

I gave the following members statement in the Nova Scotia Legislature on February 27:

Speaker, people in Dartmouth North now have another option for buying low-cost produce. The Mobile Food Market has set up a permanent location in Saint Anthony Church at 26 Courtney Road.

The Mobile Food Market has transformed this space into a warm and welcoming spot. Tables are arranged in rows and on market days the produce is laid out in bins on the tables. Shoppers move up and down the rows, pick what they need, and pay at the cash register. The market is open each Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and takes cash, credit and debit. There’s also an area to sit, have a cup of coffee or tea and a chat, and a kids’ corner with lots of fun activities for the little ones.

Since opening on January 23rd, there has been a consistent turnout of about 80 people each week.

As we see the cost of everything go up, especially groceries, the timing of this new market couldn’t be better. I ask the House to join me in extending congratulations and thanks to the Mobile Food Market for this much-needed service in Dartmouth North.

Susan Leblanc Questions Houston Government on Heating Help

The income threshold and the refunds given out under the Heating Assistance Rebate Program have not changed in almost 15 years. Recently I asked the Houston government If they would raise the income threshold and the refunds under the program to allow more people to qualify in the @nslegislature. Below is our exchange:

SUSAN LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. The Heating Assistance Rebate Program is designed to help people with the cost of heating their homes, but the income thresholds and the refunds given out under the program - between $100 and $200 - haven’t changed in almost 15 years. The price of furnace oil hit $1.98.4 cents per litre in Halifax last week and it has gone up about 30 cents since October. Dan McTeague, the President of Canadians for Affordable Energy, says; “I’m not so sure we’re not going to see incidents of people literally freezing this winter.” Will the Premier raise the income thresholds and the refunds under the Heating Assistance Rebate Program to allow more people to qualify for the program?

HON. COLTON LEBLANC: I certainly understand the hardships that Nova Scotians are feeling at the price at the pumps and when it comes to heating their homes with home heating oil. The member is correct: that program did open up earlier this week, with up to $200 for eligible Nova Scotians. We continuously look at ways to improve this program, Mr. Speaker. Again, on this side of the House, we’re very concerned about the impacts of what’s going to happen with the Liberal carbon tax and call on members opposite to join in opposing the federal carbon tax.

SUSAN LEBLANC: I thank the minister for that answer. I will say simply that if you are concerned, then you can do what I’m suggesting in this question and that is raise the threshold for this program because that is in your control. Mr. Speaker, people cannot afford their bills. A Wolfville woman contacted us to say, simply put, a 10 per cent increase in energy costs would likely leave me homeless. I could not afford another apartment. There is no amount of cutting back or efficiency that could close the gap. I’ve already made use of Efficiency Nova Scotia programs. I already use the food bank and I already keep the heat too low. I will ask again: Will the Premier or government expand the Heating Assistance Rebate Program?

COLTON LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, we’re interested in targeted solutions and that’s why earlier this year we topped up the Heating Assistance Rebate program. All options are on the table. We’re considering what we have to do to support Nova Scotians. Improvements to the program ensure that Nova Scotians were getting the money quicker into their pockets through direct deposit. I’d like to remind the member we did create the Seniors Care Grant and there are actually provisions under that grant now - up to $250 for home heating oil - and I encourage her to remind her constituents about that.