As the first full week of campaigning begins, New Brunswick’s three major political parties are focusing on affordability and health care.

The provincial election happens Oct. 21.

Conservatives hope to expand roles of several health care jobs

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said his government would change the scope of practice of several health care professionals, including paramedics, nurses and pharmacists, according to a news release from the party.

Higgs spoke Monday morning at a Jean Coutu in Saint John.

Nurses, pharmacists and paramedics would be able to “see and treat more patients” to free up doctors and get more patients through the health care system faster, the release said.

If elected, the Conservative government would work with medical professionals to determine how to change the policy, they said. The party didn’t say what sort of new responsibilities the health care professionals would take on.

“We are funding healthcare at the highest level it has ever been funded, and we’re proud to do so. But money alone will not fix challenges in healthcare. We need to make policy changes that help get real results,” Higgs said in the release.

Greens promise guaranteed livable income

The Green Party declared they would end deep poverty by creating a guaranteed livable income for all working-age adults who are living on social assistance. Coon said they would get it done by the end of his first four-year term, if he wins the election, and they would work to get some of the necessary funding from the feds.

The goal of a guaranteed livable income is to eliminate “deep poverty.” That’s people with an income 50 per cent below the poverty line.

If someone in New Brunswick is single and considered employable, and if their income is only about $19,000 a year, then they’re considered in deep poverty, according to a report by the Maytree Foundation, an Ontario-based non-profit.

But he said that program would take some time to implement, and people need help now.

If the Greens are elected, they would immediately increase income assistance rates by 20 per cent, Coon said.

“The efforts by Liberal and Tory governments to tackle poverty in New Brunswick have failed. It’s time to do something that will actually work to reduce poverty in this province, and that is exactly what a green government will do,” he said.

Liberals would create 3 per cent rent cap

In Saint John, Liberal Leader Susan Holt said she would create a 3 per cent rent cap, if elected.

She said they would reevaluate the cap based on the vacancy rate of apartments.

She said the province would also have to look seriously at rent evictions. Some people in the province can’t find a new place to live when their landlord evicts them to renovate, she said.

“We need to make sure that we have a predictable and stable housing market in New Brunswick and that new Brunswickers have the ability to pay for a roof over their heads,” Holt said.

The province doesn’t currently have a rent cap.

The first major debate for the election is set for Wednesday night at 6 p.m. on CBC TV and will happen at the Capitol Theatre in Moncton.