Minimum wage to reach $9.65/hour by October 2010

By Oct. 1, 2010, Nova Scotians earning minimum wage will make $9.65 per hour.

Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour, has accepted the recommendations of the minimum wage review committee. Beginning May 1, employees earning minimum wage will receive annual increases that, by 2010, will have them earning more than the low-income cutoff line, a commonly used poverty indicator.

"Increasing minimum wage annually will help improve the lives of more then 20,000 Nova Scotians," says Parent.

In 2007, Parent asked the committee to look at a formula to determine annual increases in minimum wage to offer more predictability in setting budgets and projections for costs and income.

Quick Glance

Annual increases to minimum wage over the next three years will be as follows:

•May 1 to March 31, 2009: 6.5 per cent increase to $8.10 per hour.

•April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010: 6.2 per cent increase to $8.60 per hour.

•April 1, 2010 to Sept.30, 2010: 6.9 per cent increase to $9.20 per hour.

•Oct.1, 2010 to March 31, 2011: 4.8 per cent increase to $9.65 per hour.

After March 31, 2011, minimum wage will be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.