For Immediate Release
November 13, 2024
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) and NDP MHA Jordan Brown (Labrador West) questioned government today about their lack of a plan when it comes to addressing issues facing seniors.
An ATIPP response to an NDP caucus inquiry shows that not only has the number of people on the NL Housing wait list increased by 20%, as revealed last month, but so have the number of seniors waiting for public housing. In 2023, there were 2433 individuals on the wait list, 480 of them being seniors. This year that number has increased to 2948, with 566 seniors waiting for NLHC housing. Dinn says this is clear evidence that government is not building enough community-based housing. “Does the Minister believe the private market is the answer when it comes to seniors’ housing?” he asked.
Brown raised the issue of the government rebate for oil, noting that not all seniors heat their homes with oil. He reminded the House that in 2011, the Conservative government of the day acquiesced with the NDP demand to remove the provincial portion of HST from all forms of home heating.
“Suppliers of residential energy credited the rebate to customers at the point of sale. Those suppliers then applied to the Crown to have the provincial portion of the HST returned to them,” he said. “I ask the Minister, if previous Conservative governments could do it, why can’t you?”
Brown went on to explain how the NDP Caucus hears from seniors across the province who are renters, and worried about living on a fixed income with the rising cost of rent and the fear of no-fault evictions. Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the few provinces that does not have rent controls in place. Brown asked, “When should this House expect to see rent control legislation?”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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