Cape Breton Island 
Nova Scotia’s lowest-wage workers will get a pay bump next year.
The Minimum Wage Review Committee, made up of employer and employee representatives, unanimously recommended sticking with the existing formula that adjusts wages by the consumer price index plus one per cent. To give businesses more breathing room after last year’s larger jump, the committee endorsed splitting the increase into two parts.
Under the plan, minimum wage will move from the current $16.50 to $16.75 an hour on April 1, before rising again to $17 an hour on October 1.
Labour, Skills and Immigration Minister Nolan Young said the approach tries to strike a balance, helping workers keep more of their earnings while offering predictability to employers. He noted that the cost of living remains a major concern and pointed to the government’s broader affordability efforts.
Those measures include more than $500 million in tax savings, reduced child-care fees, frozen university tuition for Nova Scotia students, expanded housing supports for low- and moderate-income households, and continued investments in training and skills programs aimed at helping people move into better-paid work.
This year’s increase added $1.30 to the minimum wage.
According to provincial data, those earning minimum wage largely work in retail, accommodations and food services. The workforce skews female at 57 per cent, and 39 per cent have post-secondary education. Just over a third, 38 per cent, are older than 30. Most hold permanent positions (72 per cent), and 41 per cent work full time.
Currently, British Columbia has the highest minimum wage among provinces at $17.85 per hour.
