Action on Mass Casualty Commission Recommendations

NOTE: The following is a statement by Premier Tim Houston, read in the legislature today, March 27.

This week marks one year since the Mass Casualty Commission released its final report, Turning the Tide Together.

We will always remember the lives lost on April 18 and 19, 2020, and reflect on how our province was deeply impacted by this violence and the resulting sorrow. We also reflect on the strength and courage shown by families, survivors and communities that have come together to support each other in moving forward.

I want to reaffirm Nova Scotia’s commitment to the report’s recommendations and to reassure the families, survivors and communities that we are acting and we are doing things differently.

This past year has been one of action, of listening and of determination to work across departments, with all levels of government and with community to make progress on the recommendations outlined in the final report.

As I said on the day the inquiry final report was released, our main goal is safer communities. Government has launched a provincewide policing review that will include public engagement. This is important work and will be of great interest to Nova Scotians as it takes shape.

We are investing in community groups working on the front lines to prevent gender-based violence so they can continue to support those who are impacted. As we strive to make communities safer, 16 community-based organizations have received $7.1 million in funding for projects to help address gender-based violence.

We have also made progress on a number of the recommendations in the report, including:

• committing $9 million over two years as part of an $18-million initiative with the federal government to design and deliver mental health, grief and bereavement services in Cumberland, Colchester and Hants counties
• adding new positions in mental health and addictions in front-line and system support roles, including outreach, wellness navigation, health promotion, public engagement and grief and bereavement
• adding a new mental health role to mobile primary care clinic teams, which visit communities in Colchester, Cumberland and Hants counties three days a week
• providing close to 2,000 more new trunked mobile radios to volunteer emergency responders by the fall of 2024, improving their ability to communicate as they help Nova Scotians in times of need.

As a Province, we are working with our federal colleagues to advance work on recommendations that require collaboration. We were pleased with the efforts of the Progress Monitoring Committee who – together with founding Chair Linda Oland – are playing an important role monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the recommendations from the final report.

Our province was deeply impacted by this tragedy. Our resolve to change, to be stronger and to make a difference so that no family or community has to experience what occurred in April 2020 stands firm. We are Nova Scotia strong.