Minimum wage in Nova Scotia jumps to $16.50 in 2025

CITYnews halifax / By Dan Ahlstrand

Nova Scotia says it is making history with what it is touting as the largest minimum wage increase the province has ever seen.

The new wage rates will rise by $1.30 this year. Beginning on April 1, the minimum wage will increase to $15.70 per hour, followed by a second increase to $16.50 on Oct. 1.

“Inflation continues to put pressure on families across the province. We need to do what we can to help,” said Nolan Young, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “This year we will see the biggest increase in minimum wage ever made in our province. We’re supporting hard-working Nova Scotians while addressing the rising cost of living.”

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This year’s wage adjustment includes the standard annual update based on the consumer price index from the previous year plus an additional one percent increase. Young said the second increase on Oct. 1 addresses current economic pressures.

The pay raise will benefit those earning the general minimum wage, with workers putting in 37.5 hours a week seeing an annual increase of up to $2,535. The increase follows the recommendations made by the Minimum Wage Review Committee, which includes representatives from both employee and employer groups. The changes are expected to provide a much-needed financial boost to provincial workers.

Senior Policy Analyst with the Canadian Federation Independent Business (CFIB) in Nova Scotia Duncan Robertson quickly reacted to news of the increase, suggesting that business needs predictability when it comes to minimum wage.

According to government data, 7.3 percent of workers, or 33,700 Nova Scotians, earned the minimum wage between April 2024 and October 2024

The current minimum wage in Nova Scotia is $15.20 per hour took effect on April 1.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives meantime said the increase doesn’t go far enough.

“The 2024 Living Wage Report indicates that this minimum wage falls significantly short of what is necessary to make ends meet across the province,” said Dr. Christine Saulnier with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. “The highest living wage in 2024 was in Halifax, at $28.30; even the lowest rate – $24.00 in Cape Breton – is considerably higher than the provincial minimum wage.”

The centre says the minimum wage should be increased to $20 per hour.