Nova Scotia revises income assistance rules to require plumbing and sewer connections

On Aug. 25 Nova Scotia enacted a regulatory amendment that redefines the concept of a qualifying home for income assistance, requiring a private unit with its own kitchen, bathroom, running water and sewer connection. The amendment replaces the earlier wording about renting or owning accommodation with “lives in a home,” and eliminates the previous definition of mobile home. Under the new schedule, a single recipient without a home receives $410 per month, while someone with a home gets $738, with a rate of $1,022 for those who have a disability, are 55 or older, or meet other regulatory criteria.

The Department of Opportunities and Social Development said the change provides clearer guidance on eligibility without altering overall program access for people experiencing homelessness. The revision follows a Nova Scotia Court of Appeal decision that had interpreted a tent as accommodation, a ruling the province’s lawyer said the new plumbing requirement effectively overturns. The department will assess applications received between Aug. 7 and Aug. 25 on a case-by-case basis.