Key takeaways:
- The program swore in the PC platform was considered to aid 64,000 seniors.
- The PC Party pledged low-income seniors a $500 budget during the Nova Scotia election campaign.
A funding program for seniors vowed by the PC Party during the previous summer’s Nova Scotia election campaign. It launched as a government enterprise on Dec. 1 has induced much less interest than expected.
So far, just 18,600 of the approximately 64,000 individuals suitable for the Seniors Care Grant have applied to get up to $500 in help. That implies only $9 million of the program’s existing $30 million funding is spent.
The cash is considered to cancel some of the expenses incurred by low-income seniors who stay in their houses, including snow removal, minor household restorations, lawn maintenance, grocery delivery, and transportation to appointments.
A senior official in the Department of Seniors and Long-term Care, Kim Silver, proposed a potential reason for the lackluster uptake during testimony ere a legislature committee Wednesday.
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“I think it’s essential to point out that this is the first year for the budget,” she informed the public accounts committee. “We were concentrated on having something out before the snowfall.” “We’ll persist to review and sort of figure out what this program is heading to look like in the future.”
In an interview with CBC News following the conference, the unit’s deputy minister, Paul LaFleche, stated he anticipated more seniors would sign up for the funding before the May 31 deadline.
“We expect we’ll end up the year about $20 million out the door under the present rate of takeup,” stated LaFleche.
He named it “a learning experience” and told the department funding to be sufficient money to spend every eligible senior up to the highest amount available.
Source – cbc.ca
