For too many workers, wages aren’t keeping pace with costs

HALIFAX – Today’s report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2026 Living Wages for Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island: Beyond Affordability, finds that Nova Scotia’s living wage has grown by 3.73% this year to $28.63 an hour. The report also finds that Nova Scotia’s minimum wage of $17.00 an hour is just 59.38% of this amount, and that while only roughly 10% of Nova Scotia’s workers earn the minimum wage, 20.42% make less than $20.00 an hour, and close to 50% earn less than a living wage.

“This report confirms what workers understand every time they pay a bill or make a purchase, wages simply aren’t high enough to cover the day-to-day cost of living,” said Melissa Marsman, President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour.

The report finds that low wages are only part of the problem, with the rising cost of living driving up the living wage across Nova Scotia. Skyrocketing rental and fuel costs caused the living wage in Northern Nova Scotia to jump by 10%.

“The government’s responsibility goes beyond ensuring decent wages for workers,” said Marsman. “Huge increases to rental costs in rural communities are a direct result of the government’s failure to sufficiently invest in non-market housing.”

Workers are reiterating their call for the government to bring together labour unions, employers, decision makers, and advocates to develop a framework that would see Nova Scotia’s entire workforce brought up to a living wage.

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The Nova Scotia Federation of Labour is the central provincial voice for Nova Scotia workers. The Fed represents thousands of union members, lobbying the provincial government for justice and fairness for workers across the province.

To arrange an interview with NSFL President Melissa Marsman, please contact:

David Etherington, NSFL Communications Coordinator, 902-292-7991 (cell), david@nslabour.ca.