Latest news with #ColtonLeBlanc
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
N.S. government looks to compensate rent supplement recipients who were underpaid
Nova Scotia's minister responsible for housing has asked officials in his department to look at compensating people who receive rent supplements that were underpaid for the last two years. Colton LeBlanc told reporters on Thursday that the underpayments — discovered as part of a recent audit of the program — would have been in the range of $10 to $30 per month. While those could be considered smaller amounts, "for folks who rely on a rent supplement, it could be big," the minister said. LeBlanc said the internal audit performed by EY was ordered to take a look at what is a relatively new program that has grown "significantly and exponentially" to support people who need help making rent. The province now spends more than $70 million on rent supplements, compared to about $11 million when the Progressive Conservatives came to power in 2021. "We've tripled the number of people being supported with this rent supplement program," said LeBlanc. "We know of its importance to so many Nova Scotians." 'Human error does occur' The audit findings showed that 104 recipients in East Hants and Timberlea were underpaid during the last two years because their supplement was based on incorrect geographic information. Rent supplements are calculated based on average market rent for a given area. Although the audit found there were also some overpayments to clients due to miscalculations, the minister and his department were unable to provide further details. There are 1,200 total program clients in the assessed area. LeBlanc said that after the errors were detected, corrections were made to ensure appropriate payments beginning with recipients' respective renewal dates. He wasn't sure if people were notified that they were underpaid. "Human error does occur, so we've made changes to the program where now this is automated to avoid these instances moving forward," he said. The audit was made public through the province's freedom of information disclosure website, although the government did not publicize it. NDP Leader Claudia Chender told reporters that the government should have provided more public disclosure about the audit and its findings. She noted the underpayments come at a time when many people in Nova Scotia are still struggling to maintain or find a place to live. "The rent supplement program has been a large part of this government's answer to that and it's clear that they've been mismanaging that."
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
N.S. government starts plans to develop nearly 20K residential units in Bedford, Halifax
Growth and Development Minister Colton LeBlanc speaks during a news conference at Province House in Halifax on Wednesday March 22, 2023. (Lyndsay Armstrong)
CBC
16-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
N.S. designates new special planning area near Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes
The Nova Scotia government is trying to spur more new housing in the Halifax area by adding another piece of land to the list of areas fast-tracked for development, and calling on the city to start work on development plans for two areas. Colton LeBlanc, the minister for growth and development, announced Friday morning that he's designated 255 hectares of land west of Highway 102 between Kearney Lake Road and Lacewood Drive as a special planning area. The corridor of land abuts the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes area. LeBlanc also asked Halifax Regional Municipality to start secondary planning work for the Highway 102 area and the Sandy Lake special planning area. Secondary planning looks at infrastructure needs that include water, sewer and transportation. "What we'll see here is, over five, 10, 15 years, a controlled growth of housing in these two areas to help fill the gaps in our housing needs," LeBlanc told reporters. LeBlanc said both areas were identified for potential growth as far back as 2006. In the case of the Highway 102 corridor, developers have shown interest in the past, but the city refused to give approval to one, prompting a lawsuit. Vicki Elliott-Lopez, associate deputy minister of growth and development and chair of HRM's executive panel on housing, spoke alongside LeBlanc at a new conference Friday. "Good land, quite frankly, is really difficult to find for development these days," she said of the new designation. "It's getting more scarce, particularly around HRM and this will free up that opportunity." Development at Sandy Lake has been protested by several groups and individuals, including the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Members of the group have referred to the Sandy Lake area as Halifax's lungs and said it should be protected. LeBlanc said environmental concerns were looked at in and mitigation efforts "will be looked at." "Nova Scotians take great pride in our environment and our government … would not do anything to jeopardize our environment," LeBlanc said.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
More students to receive farmers' market vouchers under Nova Scotia Loyal program
Minister of Growth and Development Colton LeBlanc is pictured at a Nova Scotia Loyal announcement in Dartmouth on May 14, 2025. (Carl Pomeroy/CTV Atlantic)
CBC
14-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Province to issue 215,000 farmers' market vouchers to students and newcomers
The provincial government is issuing hundreds of thousands of vouchers for farmers' markets as its Nova Scotia Loyal program continues to shift toward more of a promotional effort and away from the original plan of a rewards program. Growth and Development Minister Colton LeBlanc was at a school in Dartmouth on Wednesday to announce that the $10 vouchers, which started last year with a handful of schools, would be going out this month to students at all public schools, non-profit Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey and clients at the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia. Post-secondary students across the province will also receive the vouchers in the fall. A total of 215,000 vouchers that can be used at any farmers' market in the province will be issued. "The vouchers are valid until the end of the year, so you can enjoy some early strawberries or wait until the end of fall for the fall harvest," LeBlanc told reporters. Increased desire to shop local The minister said the numbers show that Nova Scotia companies appreciate what the program is trying to do. In January, 120 businesses were registered with Nova Scotia Loyal. It's now more than 900 and LeBlanc said that's likely connected to an increasing buy-local movement at a time when U.S. tariffs are throwing uncertainty into the economy. "I think that has certainly drawn a line in the sand and really reignited for Nova Scotians their desire to support local. We want to make it easier for them and that's the intent of this program." The original intent of the program when Premier Tim Houston first discussed it during the 2021 provincial election, was for it to be a type of loyalty program. Shoppers who bought local products would receive points or credits that could be used toward provincial fees, such as vehicle registration. But that approach never came to fruition. Instead, the province gave Sobey's an untendered contract for almost $1 million to purchase Scene Points that shoppers could earn through buying Nova Scotia products. Air Miles rewards were also available through select purchases at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation. A shifting model More recently, however, the program has shifted to a promotional approach. Along with issuing the market vouchers, the province has started offering branding support for business operators who wish to participate in the Nova Scotia Loyal program and help their products stand out to shoppers. "It is looking at the opportunities Nova Scotia Loyal has given to different companies to open the door and get them on the store shelves that perhaps they would not have had otherwise," said LeBlanc. Last year, almost 21,400 vouchers were redeemed at markets across the province, with 38 per cent of users saying it was their first time visiting a farmers' market. "I think we'll see that number grow," said LeBlanc.
