NDP under fire over homelessness
Posted Mar 24, 2010 04:38:55 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A new report card on homelessness for Halifax has activists disappointed in the progress.
The second annual report card gives grades of a “C-” for housing, and a “C” for income. It says more than 1700 people used homeless shelters last year.
The Transition House Association’s Pamela Harrison says the number of homeless is way too high. A major problem, she says, is the amount of affordable and supportive housing.
“Without question that is the biggest problem here in HRM and in Nova Scotia,” said Harrison.
Community Action on Homelessness released the report, and co-chair Paul O’Hara says NDP Premier Darrell Dexter needs to take the lead.
“There’s no change, where’s the change?” says O’Hara. “Did we vote for a change? How is it demonstrated?”
Dexter says the criticism is unfair as changes can’t be expected in nine months.
“We have, and are continuing to put in place, and will in this upcoming budget, strategies that are designed to try and address the questions associated with poverty,” says Dexter.
O’Hara recommends a separate department just for housing, but Dexter says that would be a waste of money as it wouldn’t solve the problem.
