Affordability platforms
Here's what the candidates in Halifax Needham, and their parties, are promising.Food costs
Fuel and transportation costs
Minimum wage
PC
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Increase Nova Scotia's minimum wage to $16.50 in one year
We don't have any Liberal policies on Minimum wage.
We don't have any NDP policies on Minimum wage.
Poverty
We don't have any PC policies on Poverty.
Liberal
NDP
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Raise income assistance rates by $100
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Tie income assistance rates to the annual rate of inflation
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Develop a long-term Poverty Reduction Strategy
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Move those receiving the income assistance "essentials rate" up to the "boarder rate", nearly doubling the amount they receive
Public transit
Tax measures and rebates
PC
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Reduce the HST by one percentage point to 14%
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Increase the personal basic exemption on provincial income tax from $8,744 to $11,744
Liberal
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Reduce the HST by two percentage points to 13%
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Increase the personal basic exemption on provincial income tax from $8,744 to $15,705
NDP
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Remove the provincial tax on phone bills, internet, and groceries
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Remove the fees for driver's licenses, license plate renewals, basic identification cards, and change of name/address requests