The Heat Warning is continued today for all of Nova Scotia. Maximum temperatures of 29 to 34 degrees Celsius can be expected today across the province, and with the humidity that will feel more like 43 degrees in some areas.
With this hot, humid weather, the Town of New Glasgow is encouraging those in need to take advantage of the water bottle filling station on the Samson Trail at the corner of Arch Street and Goodman Lane.
A Nova Scotia legislative committee is discussing a recent auditor general’s report on the rising level of violence in schools. Nova Scotia Teachers Union president Ryan Lutes says the concerning level of violence in schools has become the most pressing issue for teachers in the province. Lutes says students are not able to learn when they feel unsafe, and swift action must be taken to address the issue. The union leader is calling for increased human resources to improve student supervision and the creation of clearer requirements for reporting and tracking violent incidents.
The provincial government is expanding its Down-Payment Assistance Program for first-time home buyers in the Halifax and East Hants areas. Applicants in those areas can now purchase homes priced at up to 570-thousand dollars — that’s up from 500-thousand dollars. The maximum loan available now stands at 28-thousand, 500 dollars — up from 25-thousand dollars. Recent real estate data show the average sale price of a home in the Halifax region and East Hants was 565-thousand dollars, which is higher than the original program cap for those areas.
A national pharmacare program could be launched by April 1st of next year, according to Health Minister Mark Holland. A pharmacare bill drafted by the Liberals and the N-D-P has made its way through the House of Commons, but still needs to be studied by the Senate. Once the bill receives royal assent, Holland can start negotiating deals with provinces and territories to administer the program. As part of a universal, single-layer program, birth control and diabetes medication would be available to anyone in Canada with a health card.
