CARP Nova Scotia Chapter
Department of Finance and Treasury Board Budget engagement PO Box 187 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2N3 budget@novascotia.ca
January 26, 2024
Submission to the Pre-Budget Consultations of the Government of Nova Scotia
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) Nova Scotia Chapter represents 10,000 seniors in the province (225,000 across Canada). We remain steadfast in our commitment to advocate for the needs and rights of older Nova Scotians, seniors, and their families. CARP NS has a proud history of influencing key policies that benefit seniors today and across generations.
In 2024, we find ourselves facing a landscape of critical challenges that demand urgent attention and action from the Government of Nova Scotia.
CARP commends the government for the strides it has made in the past few years to improve the supports and services directed at older Nova Scotians. CARP NS have recommendations to further advance them.
Key Challenges and Budget Recommendations:
- Inflation and Cost of Living:
CARP conducts surveys of its members many times each year. Our most recent survey completed by almost 4000 older Canadians told us that although health care is a concern, their primary concern is Financial Security…will they outlive their money.
CARP Nova Scotia Recommends:
Increase financial support for seniors through enhanced pension plans and subsidies.
Implement targeted relief measures for essential items such as groceries, medication, and energy costs.
Seniors are disproportionately affected by inflation, particularly those on fixed incomes. The rising cost of living undermines their financial stability and well-being. - Healthcare System Crisis:
The aging population has put unprecedented pressure on our healthcare system.
CARP NS Recommends:
Allocation of substantial funding to overhaul the healthcare system, with a focus on reducing wait times, revamping Long Term Care with an emphasis on emotion-based care, and expanding Home Care services.
Investment in these areas is crucial to ensure equitable and efficient healthcare for all seniors, irrespective of their location. - Housing Challenges:
Since the lack of affordable and appropriate housing options for seniors is a growing concern. Private industry cannot be expected to provide all the required housing for low and middle income seniors. A proactive approach by the government is essential to address this urgent need.
CARP NS Recommends:
CARP asks the government to invest in affordable and senior-friendly housing initiatives, including creative and diverse housing models. - Climate Change and Community Planning:
Climate change poses unique risks to seniors. It is imperative that community planning and climate change policies consider the specific needs of older Nova Scotians.
CARP NS is asking for integrate senior-focused strategies into climate change adaptation plans and community development projects.
CARP NS Recommends:
The challenges of 2024 call for decisive and compassionate action from the Government of Nova Scotia. Our senior population, a group that has contributed immensely to the fabric of our province, now looks towards you for support and assurance in these trying times. The above recommendations are not just investments in the senior community but are investments in the future of Nova Scotia as a compassionate, inclusive, and forward-thinking society. We urge you to consider these recommendations in your budgetary planning to create a province where all ages can thrive. - Tax Bracket Indexation:
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) Nova Scotia Chapter wishes to address an issue of critical importance to the financial well-being of older Nova Scotians: the need for tax bracket indexation. Unlike most Canadian provinces and the federal government, Nova Scotia, along with Prince Edward Island, does not adjust tax brackets in line with inflation. This lack of indexation disproportionately impacts retirees, many of whom are on fixed incomes and struggle to keep pace with the rising cost of living.
As inflation rises, Nova Scotians, particularly those who are retired, face an indirect tax increase. Their income, often tied to indexed pensions or fixed earnings, pushes them into higher tax brackets despite no real increase in their wealth. This scenario, known as ‘bracket creep,’ unfairly burdens our seniors and those on limited incomes. It is unreasonable for the province to allow tax revenues to increase passively due to inflation without considering its impact on these vulnerable groups.
CARP NS Recommends:
We urge the provincial government to adopt a tax indexing system to ensure that tax increases align with actual income growth, rather than being an automatic result of inflation. This change is not only fair but necessary for the financial stability of our aging population. - Investment Industry Designations:
Another concern that CARP Nova Scotia wishes to highlight relates to the transparency and integrity in the financial services industry, particularly as it affects our seniors. Many investors, especially older individuals, are misled by ambiguous titles like ‘Vice President’ or ‘Wealth Management Specialist.’ These titles often imply qualifications or ethical commitments that may not exist, leading to misplaced trust, poor financial advice, and potential monetary losses.
To address this, CARP Nova Scotia recommends two significant changes:
b. Elimination of Misleading Titles: Titles such as ‘Vice President,’ ‘Seniors Advisor,’ or ‘Wealth Management Specialist’ can be misleading. These titles often give an impression of expertise or ethical obligations that may not be present. Removing such titles will enhance transparency and help protect investors, particularly seniors, from potential financial exploitation.
Transparency in professional titling within the investment industry is crucial for safeguarding investors, especially our senior members. By enacting these changes, we can promote informed decision-making and better protect the financial futures of Nova Scotians.
CARP Nova Scotia is committed to advocating for these changes and looks forward to a positive response from the Government of Nova Scotia in addressing these critical issues. - Health of Seniors
CARP NS Recommends:
a. Review of Eligibility Caps for Senior Services and Programs: We urge a review and adjustment of the eligibility caps for senior services, particularly considering the financial pressures on single seniors living alone. An updated Fee Table for home care services and a reassessment of income limits for programs like the NS home heating rebate are crucial.
b. Transportation Allowances for Home Care Workers: Standardizing transportation allowances across the province will ensure more consistent and accessible home care services.
c. Housing Accessibility and Affordability: With a significant rise in food bank usage among seniors, there’s an urgent need for innovative housing solutions like co-housing. We recommend building more affordable, universally designed housing units to accommodate seniors of all abilities. - Vaccination Programs:
We strongly advocate for the immediate implementation of a publicly funded shingles vaccination program in Nova Scotia. Additionally, funding should be allocated for providing and promoting adult vaccines against diseases like Shingles, Influenza, pneumococcal disease, RSV, and COVID. Public awareness campaigns to promote these vaccinations are also essential. - Wait Times in Healthcare:
The current wait times for various healthcare services are alarmingly high.
CARP NS Recommends:
Specific commitments to improve these times, including increased capacity for diagnostic testing, addressing backlogs, and recruiting more healthcare professionals, particularly in specialties relevant to seniors. - Seniors’ Mental Health:
The mental health crisis among seniors, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, needs immediate attention.
CARP NS Recommends:
Establishment of senior-specific mental health clinics improved funding for mental health services, and the continuation and enhancement of virtual care options. - Fall Prevention:
Falls among seniors are a significant health concern.
CARP NS Recommends:
CARP advocate for regulations that consider fall prevention, such as the installation of grab bars.
Additionally, a well-funded public education campaign and a commitment to a fall prevention program are essential. - Review of Nova Scotia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
(FOIPOP) Legislation:
The FOIPOP Act and regulations are complex. There are many exemptions in the
legislation which limit access. Even for advocacy organizations such as CARP NS,
which may have some familiarity with the Act; it is daunting to attempt to interpret the Act or regulations.
The Nova Scotia’s Freedom of Information’s Report reveals that her Office has a four-year backlog of matters which, despite effort, has not been reduced during her term. Addressing the backlog of applications and ensuring no further backlogs would give the Office credibility in the eyes of an applicant if the Office can be more responsive to the process.
CARP NS Recommends: - Government should address the financial pressures- of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to ensure the removal of the current backlog and to avoid further backlog.
- Government should amend the current FOIPOP Act to ensure that decisions of the Information and Privacy Commissioner are binding on public bodies.
- Government should amend the FOIPOP Act to ensure records are maintained appropriately in a digital age.
- Ensure the legislation continues to promote access to information for purposes of informed public dialogue and strengthen the purpose clause to include the democratic value of such engagement.
- Ensure that submissions to Government during public consultations are accessible to all unless the submitter requests privacy for a valid reason.
- The review must assess whether access to information by the public has become more difficult since the Act was enacted and assess what changes should be made to the Act, regulations, policy or practice in order to reduce barriers to access.
- A manual, like Policy Manuals for Government Employees, should be developed which clearly outlines the requirements of the legislation and regulations, the process of making an application, and the criteria for redactions and how to understand them – to guide and inform both administrators and applicants.
- Consider eliminating all fees for access to information under the FOIPOP Act, or limit the application of fees to ensure fair access to all.
- Additional financial support for the office, particularly to address the backlog of requests for review, updating of the current legislation to address changes in a digital world, and ensuring that the Commissioner’s decisions are binding on public bodies
Conclusion
The recommendations presented aim to address the urgent and diverse needs of Nova Scotia’s aging population. By implementing these measures, we believe the government will significantly improve the lives of seniors, ensuring they live with dignity, security, and better health. We appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to positive steps towards these goals in the upcoming budget.
Respectfully submitted
Ron Swan
Ron Swan Chair
Bill VanGorder
Bill VanGorder, Past Chair and Senior Spokesperson
Contact:
Bill VanGorder
vangorder@carp.ca
902 902 3572
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization that advocates for financial security and improved health care for Nova Scotians as we age. With 225,000 members and 25 chapters across Canada, 10,000 members in Nova Scotia, CARP plays an active role in the creation of policy and legislation that impacts older Nova Scotians. CARP advocates on behalf of older Nova Scotians with all levels of government and collaborates with other organizations on health, ageism, housing, and financial issues.