As the province continues to try and give those living with disabilities a more inclusive lifestyle, a monitoring committee has made 15 recommendations on the progress.
It’s part of the Human Rights Review and Remedy. We are now in year three of the five-year program aimed at giving those living with disabilities more independence.
One part is the HomeShare program implemented in January. It gives Nova Scotians with disabilities the choice of where and how they wish to live.
Minister Susan Corkum-Greek says it is an incredible transformation that is underway.
“If they choose to live in my hometown or a little village down the eastern shore, we are obligated to assist them in making that move and supporting them to access the services they need,” says Corkum-Greek. “That’s huge.”
She says that in itself is a “system-based change”.
As for implementing the recommendations, Corkum-Greek says the report it lengthy and will have to take time to go through it with other stakeholders.
One deadline that she says is a requirement is to remedy the discrimination in the disability support program and that it is achievable.
“I want to say that this is a generational shift,” says Corkum-Greek. “It’s bigger than government, it’s bigger than programs, it’s bigger than changing a system. It’s going to require a societal change.”
There is a goal to close all disability institutions by March 2028.
Meanwhile, the Disability Rights Coalition (DRC) of Nova Scotia welcomes the third annual report and stands behind the recommendations but with less than two years remaining in the timeline, says we’ve reached a “critical stage.”
However, DRC says they recognize the commitment from the province .
“More people with disabilities are living in homes of their own choosing, individualize approaches are taking shape and collaboration between the province and DRC continues to grow,” says DRC in a media release.
