Halifax

ACORN NS to Protest Cuts to Disability and Income Assistance

2:00pm
- 3:30pm
Friday December 4 2015

ACORN Nova Scotia, a community organization that fights for the interests of low-income people, is organizing a protest against cuts to the Department of Community Services this Friday. The Provincial Government announced a freeze to income assistance and disability rates when they cut funding to the DCS last April. Since then, many income assistance and disability recipients have also ceased receiving money allotted for medically-required special diets, as well as transportation.

“These cuts create a nightmare for people who are struggling already.” says Lisa Fairn, a Dartmouth ACORN board member who is on disability “We need our bus passes. For people with disabilities especially, taking away the bus pass can trap you in your own home.”
 

In October, the government announced that they would pay 2 million dollars to consultants to “vision” and “transform” Nova Scotia’s welfare system.

 

“ It’s totally backwards” says Evan Coole a Halifax ACORN board member and employee of Dal Legal Aid “The government has had no interest in consulting with caseworkers or recipients, who experience the effects of these cuts every day.”
 

ACORN members will gather in Grand Parade at 2pm on Friday afternoon and march down to Province House.

 

Time: 2-3:30pm

Date: December 4th

Location:Starting at Grand Parade and marching to Province House

 

 

Nova Scotia ACORN is an affiliate of ACORN Canada, a national anti­poverty organization with over 70,000 low and moderate income members organized into 20 neighborhood chapters in 7 cities across Canada. We fight for tenants rights, regulations on money­lenders, and a living wage.

 

For more information contact:

 

Storm Paradise

 

Phone: (902) 225 3818

 

Email: novascotia1@acorncanada.org