Workers to see pay bumps in April, indexed to CPI
The governments of New Brunswick and Yukon are increasing their own minimum wage rates starting in April this year.
New Brunswick’s minimum pay will move up to $15.30 per hour on April 1, from the current rate of $14.75 per hour.
The minimum wage rate is indexed to the province’s Consumer Price Index, rounded to the nearest five cents. The New Brunswick consumer price index grew by 3.6% in 2023.
“Our government’s attention to the province’s minimum wage over the past five years has ensured New Brunswick wages are competitive within Atlantic Canada,” said Arlene Dunn, minister of post-secondary education, training and labour. “Predictable minimum wage increases, which we established in 2019, protect earners from increases in inflation and help businesses to be better prepared for increases when they occur.”
With the 55-cent increase set for April 1, New Brunswick’s minimum wage will have increased by 36% since 2019.
The government has legislated that the indexing of minimum wage increases to the consumer price index be reviewed every two years. A review will take place this year.
Recently, the Northwest Territories launched a consultation with the public regarding the way the minimum wage in the territory is adjusted annually. In November 2023, Northwest Territories announced the highest minimum wage in all of Canada.
Yukon’s base salary, meanwhile, will jump to $17.59 per hour from the current hourly rate of $16.77 on April 1.
The increase is based on the 2023 Consumer Price Index for Whitehorse which is 4.9%.
The gross annual salary for a worker earning minimum wage at 40 hours per week would increase to $36,587 after April 1, 2024.
“Our government is committed to making life more affordable for Yukoners,” said Richard Mostyn, minister of community services. “This minimum wage increase, alongside the many other actions by our government to make life more affordable across the territory, will help the Yukon’s lowest-paid workers make ends meet.”
A minimum wage tied to inflation aims to help reduce poverty, increase affordability and address income inequality across the territory, according to the government.
Recently, public service workers in Ontario scored a major win in their Wage Reopener negotiations with the provincial government, after Arbitrator Gerry Lee issued an award to the workers that included a 9.5% wage increase over three years that will apply to over 30,000 Ontario Public Service (OPS) Unified.
