Recovery plan must address health care crisis, support worst hit sectors

HALIFAX -- NDP Finance spokesperson Lisa Lachance made the following statement today in response to the 2020-2021 Public Accounts:

“What we see in today’s report is the massive impact the pandemic has had on the people of Nova Scotia - including reduced wages and more reliance on government services and supports.

We know that the health care system was in crisis before the pandemic and while major investments were made to address COVID-19 directly, there are still significant issues that need attention. Additional funding is needed to make sure frontline workers are better supported and people get the care they need, without major delays.

It is striking that with $1 billion in additional expenditures last year there was no significant investment to address the housing crisis, even though housing is a key factor in people’s health.

What we need now, is a recovery plan that invests in housing, health care, and local communities and addresses the disproportionate impact on all those hard hit by COVID-19, including students, frontline workers, women, and racialized and other diverse communities.”

The NDP continues to call for an Economic Recovery Task Force that would include representatives from a diverse set of communities and economic sectors in the province and experts in relevant fields to create a plan for recovery in Nova Scotia.

-30-