Nova Scotia Buzz
The Province says they have accepted recommendations from the Minimum Wage Review Committee, which include setting the minimum wage at $15 an hour on October 1, six months ahead of schedule.
In January, the government sought input from community partners before deciding on the committee’s recommendations in its December report.
The Province says an average of seven per cent of workers, or about 28,500 Nova Scotians, worked for minimum wage during the period from April 2021 to March 2022; they worked primarily in retail trade, followed by food and accommodation industries
The minimum wage, currently $13.60, will increase twice this year:
- April 1 – $14.50
- October 1 – $15.
“The minimum wage rate impacts the lives of workers and businesses, and we know the rising cost of inflation has been difficult for both,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “After further consultation, we are accepting the full set of recommendations put forward by the Minimum Wage Review Committee. Given the unexpected and significant increase in inflation, the committee carefully considered the impacts and put forth a balanced plan.”
The committee also recommended the minimum wage increase annually based on the national consumer price index (CPI), plus an additional one per cent, effective April 1, 2024
