Many of the same issues and concerns premier designate, Susan Hoyt identifies she heard from New Brunswickers:

• accessing healthcare, finding affordable housing, and ensuring our children have the opportunities they deserve.
• People struggling under the weight of a broken system that has left them waiting for too long—for care, for relief, and for the solutions they need to live their lives fully
• the stated focus on “you—your health, your family, and your future”.

as well as NBLA stated commitment to:

• “a bold platform; and collaborative approach, centered on what we can achieve together”, as well as “to deliver on the priorities that matter most”,  align closely with many of the concerns and issues IA SENB endeavours to address for the individuals with IDD and families we serve; and our collaborative approach in our community.  

This is a list of some of the concerns addressed in the NBLA Policy  Resolutions as Amended - Feb 2024, that directly impact individuals with IDD and their families:

HEALTH

 

1. PROVINCIAL HEALTH PLAN

 

. . .  implement its Provincial Health Plan while applying a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens across the system, acknowledging and recognizing the significance of all communities living within its borders, including Indigenous, Newcomers, and both official linguistic communities.

 

5. COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY FOR NEW BRUNSWICK

 

. . .  A focused plan to address the shortage of child psychologists and social workers, aiming to mitigate long-term effects on children's success in school.

 

7. INTEGRATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES

 

. . .  Increase investment in home care services to enable seniors to age in place, supporting their desire to remain in their homes longer. Shift from an institutional approach to a community care approach, ensuring that seniors receive the necessary support and services in the comfort of their own homes.

 

8. COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS SUPPORT

 

. . .  include and ensure meaningful and sustainable community engagement and resourcing in the provision of mental health and addiction care and services.

 

9. EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH COURTS

. . .  commit to the comprehensive expansion of the Mental Health Court program across the entire province. This commitment includes providing the appropriate resources 10 and funding, strategic partnerships, and the implementation of evidence-based practices to ensure the program's effectiveness in addressing mental health issues within the judicial system

11. ENHANCING SUBSIDIES FOR SPECIAL CARE HOME RESIDENTS

. . .  commits to addressing the issue of insufficient subsidies for special care home residents. This commitment includes an immediate assessment, an equitable increase in subsidies, and the establishment of a continuous review mechanism to monitor the impact of these increased subsidies on residents' well-being.

15. TOWARDS A PATIENT-CENTERED HEALTH CARE REFORM IN NEW BRUNSWICK

. . . develop a patient-centered vision for health care, prioritizing patient needs and excellence in service;

19. IMPROVING HOME CARE AND SERVICES

. . . increase resources allocated to the home care sector, considering previous studies that have analyzed the needs of this clientele

 

EDUCATION

31. COMPREHENSIVE COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

. . . of our existing inclusion policy and programs within our schools, ensuring a truly inclusive education system that

. . .adequately funding inclusion, supporting a system that enables all learners, including those with unique needs, to thrive and contribute fully to New Brunswick society and beyond.

34. ADVANCING TEACHER EDUCATION FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY

. . . to ensure that incoming teachers receive increased pedagogical training. This training will focus on using technology effectively, teaching cross-curricular skills, and implementing inclusive teaching practices

. . .  continue to invest in the infrastructure necessary to support students in becoming active global citizens.

35. ENHANCING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

. . . work with stakeholders to address the shortages of non-teaching professions such as guidance counselors and school psychologists;

37. ENHANCING SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT FOR IMPROVED EDUCATION

. . . ensure that students and teachers have access to schools adapted to their needs, promoting learning in a stimulating environment, and that the need for adequate physical space in schools across the province be addressed, considering both the quantity and quality of educational facilities;

. . . establish clear objectives for school repair, renovation, and construction based on strategic, present, and future needs, and that strategies be developed and implemented to ensure a well-equipped, trained, and motivated workforce to educate young people effectively.

47. STUDENT ACCESS TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

. . .  take immediate steps to re-establish this employment insurance-based financial assistance program for New Brunswick students;

. . .  explore additional mechanisms to provide support to students pursuing post-secondary education.

AFFORDABILITY in HOUSING

 

. . . 48. AFFORDABLE HOUSING

adopt policies and principles that ensure timely access to affordable and accessible housing in the province of New Brunswick.

. . .  identify policies and actions that will provide both immediate and long-term solutions to the affordable housing crisis as soon as we form the government.

49. INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING

. . .  expand new public housing and subsidized housing, facilitate an increase in accessible housing, maintain the existing stock of public housing, and facilitate an increase in the overall housing supply directly and through partnerships with key housing industry stakeholders, in order to better meet the affordable housing needs of NB residents.

50. ELIMINATION OF LONG-TERM HOMELESSNESS

. . . implement proven strategies towards eliminating homelessness and will work to eliminate long-term homelessness in New Brunswick within its first mandate.

SOCIAL POLICY

 

53. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STANDARDS TO ENSURE HEALTH AND SECURITY FOR SENIORS IN NEW BRUNSWICK

. . .  take necessary measures to pressure both provincial and federal governments, including the concerned departments, to implement social programs with qualified resources and standardized services, ensuring that seniors in New Brunswick can live their lives with dignity.

55. EXPANDING BASIC INCOME

. . .  establish a pilot project to assess the impact of providing a Basic Income to seniors aged 60 to 64.

56. MAKING SPORTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

. . .  implement a strategy to promote the practice of physical activity and all forms of art among young people under the age of 18. This strategy should include attractive incentives for municipalities that will make these activities more accessible to these young people.

ECONOMIC DVELOPMENT

60. SKILLS TRAINING AND SHORTAGES

. . .  develop and implement a coordinated skills training and recognition strategy that addresses the skills needs in each economic sector, optimizes the education and training capacity of New Brunswick’s higher education institutions, facilitates the recognition of skills acquired outside the province, and provides career pathways for young New Brunswickers.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

64. PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS

. . . amend Policy 713 in accordance with the guidance and recommendations of the Child and Youth Advocate Report on Policy 713.

65. CREATION OF A WOMEN’S EQUALITY DEPARTMENT WITH SATELLITE OFFICES

. . . create a Department of Women’s Equality with infrastructure and resources on par with other Provincial government departments. This department will assess and address women’s needs and provide consistent women-centered services throughout the province through direct “one-stop shops” in the 12 Regional Service Commissions. This will be funded by allocating existing budgets from departments like ONB (Opportunities New Brunswick) and PETL (Post-Secondary Education Training and Labour), specifically for women’s services.

66. WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

. . .  evaluate these workplaces and initiate plans to remedy gaps, ensuring quality care and education;

. . .  extend the Pay Equity Act, 2009 to the private sector, including the non-profit sector. This extension will involve job evaluation based on skills, responsibility, effort, and working conditions, with the creation of an independent Pay Equity Bureau to implement and monitor the law, providing tools, training, and information to employers and employees.

68. PAY EQUITY IN COMMUNITY CARE

. . .  develop a comprehensive plan to achieve pay equity in the entire community care sector, including:

• Public investment in sector wages until pay equity is achieved;
• Development of pay scales incorporating pay equity and annual indexation of these scales;
• Conducting pay equity exercises for all roles in the sector that have not yet been evaluated.

69. ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NEW BRUNSWICK

. . .  actively explores opportunities to aid rural communities and advocate effectively for their specific needs, ensuring equitable access to essential services and support.

70. AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN RURAL LOCALITIES

. . .  develop a comprehensive provincial transportation strategy that addresses the needs of both seniors and the younger population in rural areas.

71. ACCESSIBILITY LEGISLATION

. . .  ensure the timely implementation of effective accessibility legislation that is comparable to other provinces who have implemented such legislation.