Raising the minimum wage in New Brunswick
That said, the rate still lags behind the recommended living wage.
On Monday, Jan. 29, New Brunswick provincial officials announced an increase in the minimum wage to CA$ 15.30 per hour effective April 1.
Such a figure still maintains the gap between actual earnings and what is considered sufficient to live on, according to the New Brunswick Human Development Council (HDC). The organization indicates that living wages in the province range from CA$ 21.65 in Bathurst to CA$ 24.50 in Fredericton.
Smallest salaries in Canada
Until recently, New Brunswick had one of the lowest minimum wages in Canada (CA$ 14.75), ahead of only Saskatchewan. After April's 55-cent increase, the province will have the second lowest minimum wage among Atlantic provinces, instead of the lowest.
The minimum wage will reach CA$ 15.60 in Newfoundland and Labrador, CA$ 15.40 in Prince Edward Island, and CA$ 15.20 in Nova Scotia.
Provincial Minister of Post-Secondary Education Arlene Dunn emphasized in a press release that consistent attention to the minimum wage over the past five years has ensured its competitiveness in Atlantic Canada.
Growth rate of the minimum wage
The indexation of the minimum wage rate to the consumer price index, which was 3.6% in 2023, provided a 36% increase in the minimum wage starting in 2019. The provincial government has also legislated that this revision of the minimum wage to the price index must occur every two years, and the next one is scheduled for just this year.
For New Brunswick residents looking to advance their careers or find better-paying jobs, the government reminds them of the services of 19 WorkingNB offices located across the province.
The authorities also reminded that government subsidies and grants should increase with inflation.
