The minimum wage in Nova Scotia will rise to $10.15, a 1.5 per cent increase from the present rate of $10.00 an hour.
The minimum wage for an inexperienced worker, with less than three months' experience in the work for which they were hired, has also risen from $9.50 to $9.65.
"Nova Scotians deserve to earn a fair wage for a day's work," said Marilyn More, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. "The minimum wage rate must continue to keep up with increases to the costs of living. This new schedule will also provide employers and employees in the province with predictability and stability going forward."
The increase to $10.15 is based on the Low Income Cut Off adjusted for inflation. Future increases to the rate will occur annually in April based on increases to the national consumer price index for the previous year.
Fixing the rate to the consumer price index was a recommendation from the Minimum Wage Review Committee, made up of people representing both employers and employees. The committee had previously recommended a schedule of increases that would bring the rate back in line with the Low Income Cut Off, a figure set by Statistics Canada where people are devoting a significantly larger than average percentage of their income to the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing.
The rate was last set in October 2011, at slightly above the Low Income Cut Off.
A copy of the latest Minimum Wage Review Committee report is available in both French and English at gov.ns.ca/lae/employmentrights
Source: Release