The provincial government has announced that Nova Scotia’s minimum wage for experienced workers
will increase by fifty-five cents to $11.55 per hour on April 1st, 2019. That increase is not nearly enough, but it shows that the campaign for a $15 minimum wage is getting results in Nova Scotia, like it has across Canada and the United States.

$11.55 per hour is still a poverty wage, but the increase will go a small way towards alleviating the
hardship faced by minimum-waged workers in this province.

The minimum wage will also increase at approximately $.55 each year until 2022. Beginning on April 1,
2022, the minimum wage rate will be adjusted to account for inflation. However, by 2022 the rate will still fall dramatically short of a living wage.

Nova Scotians’ need a $15 minimum wage now. One in five children in this province live in poverty. 40% of these children live with at least one full time wage earner. Premier McNeil’s choice to continue trapping children and families in poverty is immoral, and is harming our economy.

Data from across the country shows that even dramatic increases to the minimum wage do not result in job losses or inflation. Take Ontario, which raised its minimum wage by $2.40 in January 2018, from $11.60/hr to $14/hour. Within 7 months, Ontario was reporting its lowest unemployment rate in decades as well as a drop in food bank usage.

At the Fight for $15 & Fairness, we believe that all people deserve fair wages and benefits. Join us to help build our movement for a just economy!