BILL NO. 183

(as introduced)

1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
71 Elizabeth II, 2022

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Emergency Relief Act, 2022

 

The Honourable Brendan Maguire
Halifax Atlantic

First Reading: July 26, 2022

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

 

An Act to Provide Families
with Emergency Relief

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Emergency Relief Act, 2022.

2 In this Act,

(a) "assistance" means the provision of emergency relief in the form of money, goods or services to a person for basic needs;

(b) "basic needs" include food, fuel and essential items set out in the regulations;

(c) "Minister" means the Minister of Community Services;

(d) "person in need of emergency relief" means a person

(i) whose income exceeds the threshold for income assistance under the Employment Support and Income Assistance Act but whose gross income does not exceed $70,000 per year, and

(ii) who is unable to afford the costs of the person's basic needs;

(e) "Emergency Relief Grant" means the grant program established under Section 3.

3 Subject to Section 6, the Minister shall establish a temporary grant program to be known as the Emergency Relief Grant for persons in need of emergency relief.

4 (1) A person in need of emergency relief may make an application for assistance in accordance with the forms and procedure set out in the Employment Support and Income Assistance Regulations.

(2) An application for assistance may be filed in person at an Access Nova Scotia location or online through Access Nova Scotia's website.

5 (1) The Minister may make regulations

(a) defining essential items; and

(b) respecting any matter or thing the Minister considers necessary or advisable to effectively carry out the intent and purpose of this Act.

(2) The exercise by the Minister of the authority contained in subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act.

6 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.

 

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