New Democrats pledge 45 more primary-care clinics

In her final campaign pitch before the election, NDP leader Claudia Chender said Monday her party would “deliver the primary care our families need.”

Chender pledged that an NDP government would match more Nova Scotians with primary-care providers and build a total of 45 primary-care clinics across the province, with 15 opening in the first year and 15 more in each of the following two years.

According to Nova Scotia Health, as of Oct. 17, 2024, there are 145,000 Nova Scotians on a waitlist to be matched with a primary-care physician.

“That is the population of Cape Breton Island and it’s unacceptable,” Chender said. “After eight years of Liberal neglect and another four of broken PC promises, New Democrats will deliver a home you can afford and a doctor in your community,” Chender said.

A new approach to housing

Chender said the issue of housing affordability was equally important to health care.

“The housing crisis that is driving more people out of the communities that they love, has been fuelled by government decisions. Tim’s Conservatives have consistently chosen wealthy developers and corporate landlords over protecting renters at every turn,” Chender said.

As of October 2024, housing costs in Nova Scotia have increased 27.8 per cent since June 2020, according to Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index.

Housing affordability has been a major topic on the election campaign trail, with opposition leaders criticizing the province for allowing a rent cap loophole.

Chender said today the NDP would establish “real rent control” and give more than half the households in the province a housing rebate to help cover the cost of rent and mortgage payments.

She also criticized the previous Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments for fighting against government measures that would protect renters and keep communities affordable.

“The NDP are going to protect renters [and] get people on the pathway to homeownership,” she said.

Chender’s announcement comes after the Liberals’ pledged today to oversee the construction of 80,000 homes by 2032.

The PC’s plan to create a total of 41,200 homes in five years.

An NDP government she added, would increase the number of affordable homes on the market by 30,000, and build hundreds of rent-to-own starter homes across the province.