Committee recommends minimum wage jump

By QCCR FM 99.3.
 Date: Dec. 5th, 2018 - 1:45 PM

A bigger than expected jump in minimum wage could be in the future for Nova Scotia.

The Minimum wage review committee for the province released their report earlier this week, and is proposing an increase of $0.55 per year over the next three years. Usually the increase is tied to just inflation, which would make it just $0.25 per year.

The report notes that this increase would both meet the Low Income Cut off level and would compensate for inflation. Most workers don’t work the full 40 hours per week, which is also why the committee recommended an increase.

Nova Scotia has the lowest minimum wage in the country, at $11 per hour. In the Maritimes the minimum wage ranges from $11.25 in New Brunswick to $11.55 in PEI.

At present, the committee concluded workers need to be paid $11.90 an hour to meet the LICO threshold in Nova Scotia for 2018.

The provincial government will review the report, and make a recommendation in the New Year.

The full report can be read here.