For Immediate Release
06 October, 2022
NL NDP Leader and MHA for St. John’s Centre, Jim Dinn, says the one-off cost of living relief shows a failure of government to have a plan and to focus their policies on people and the realities they face. While the payment will be welcomed by those who receive it, the NL NDP believes money could be better spent in a number of ways, such as making empty public housing units livable ahead of winter.
“We are weeks away from the first snow fall in this part of the province and there are 120 housing units sitting empty because government has not prioritized creating the jobs that would have gotten people into safe housing before winter,” said Dinn. “From information we gathered, the investment needed is around $10.5M. Government was able to find $194M to send out cheques, but they couldn’t find $10.5M to create jobs and invest in housing? The math doesn’t add up here.” Dinn said.
Government doesn’t grasp the realities people are facing in this province. From April to the end of September the statistics from Iris Kirby house are staggering: 73 admissions (24 of those were family admissions); 211 turn-aways; 527 distress calls. Of particular concern is how this money will land in the pockets of domestic abusers.
“If you are fleeing an abusive, and a controlling partner, you’re not getting that cheque. That cheque is going into the hands of your abuser,” said Dinn. “This is another example of government failing to put their focus on people."
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca