Housing ministers in Atlantic Canada say they’re looking at ways to boost more factory-built housing as the region’s population keeps rising at a rapid pace.

Nova Scotia Housing Minister John Lohr and the other Atlantic Housing Ministers met yesterday in Halifax with federal Housing Minister and Central Nova MP Sean Fraser.

Fraser says at this point the move to mass-produced housing is a “framework,” and details of specific, additional funding and programs haven’t been fleshed out.

Lohr says he’d like to see results by “mid to late summer,” adding that he realizes the housing is needed immediately.

 

 

The provincial government has announced the top 10 most-voted on health-care improvement ideas were submitted by health workers.

The province launched a contest in the fall and received more than two-thousand-200 submissions for ideas that could help streamline health care.

Those ideas were narrowed down to a 20-item shortlist that was voted on by the public, and the top 10 suggestions are now considered priorities of the Health Department.

The top ideas include creating a text notification system to remind patients of upcoming appointments, screens in E-Rs that show wait times, and allowing patients to pre-register for surgery or specialist appointments through an online form.

 

 

Pictou County District RCMP are investigating the theft of a black 2017 Ford F250. The truck was stolen on December 27 at approximately 10:30 p.m. from Highland Ford Sales on Balodis Drive in Westville.

The truck had a red slip tank, a back rack, caution lights and plow mount at the time of theft. The truck also has a notable dent/hole above the Ford symbol on the tailgate. The Nova Scotia licence plate is GEU 231.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pictou County District RCMP or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers.

 

 

A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has ruled it is illegal to lock down inmates in provincial jails because of staffing shortages.

Decisions by Justice Peter Rosinski in the cases of two inmates are being praised by the prisoner advocacy group PATH as a “groundbreaking victory” for prisoner rights.

In decisions dated Friday, Rosinski found that inmates Durrell Diggs and Ryan Wilband experienced “ongoing material deprivation”

of their liberty while incarcerated at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility last fall.

The Justice Department says it is reviewing the court’s decision and its recommendations while it continues efforts to increase staffing levels.