Nova Scotia minimum wage to rise May 1

(Mar. 28/08) Nova Scotia’s minimum wage will rise from $7.60/hour to $8.10/hour on May 1, 2008, with further increases planned in 2009 and 2010.  The province retained the training wage differential for employees with less than three months’ work experience, and announced that the two wages will rise in tandem on the following dates:

  General minimum wage Training minimum wage
May 1, 2008: $8.10/hour $7.60/hour
April 1, 2009: $8.60/hour $8.10/hour
April 1, 2010: $9.20/hour $8.70/hour
Oct. 1, 2010: $9.65/hour $9.15/hour

After March 31, 2011, the province’s minimum wage will be adjusted annually based on the consumer price index.

CRFA was active during Nova Scotia's minimum wage review, meeting with the minister of labour and several other members of cabinet.  In these meetings, CRFA outlined the need to provide employers with adequate notice of wage increases and recommended that any increases be incremental and phased in over a longer period of time, to allow business owners to adapt to rising wage costs. 

While CRFA was pleased to see that the training wage differential was retained, the size of the planned increases remains a concern.  Because of the labour-intensive nature of foodservice, and because nearly 31 cents of every dollar spent at a restaurant goes directly to payroll costs, repeated increases to the minimum wage make it difficult for business owners to grow their business and make further investments in their communities. 

In its meetings with government, CRFA also made the case for a tip differential which would recognize the greater earning potential of employees who earn gratuities.  As a result of CRFA’s efforts, the minister of labour has instructed the Minimum Wage Review Committee to consider this new minimum wage option and report back with recommendations by the end of the year. 

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