Minimum wage set to rise twice in 2025; $1.30 total

Money is removed from a bank machine in a photo illustration in Montreal, Monday, May 30, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

By Rachel Morgan

Posted Mar 31, 2025 03:17:00 PM.

Last Updated Mar 31, 2025 03:17:05 PM.

Many Nova Scotians will see an additional boost in income this year as minimum wage will increase on April 1 and again on Oct. 1.

The April 1 increase happens annually. Starting Tuesday, minimum wage will jump from $15.20 to $15.70. That amounts to an additional $4 across an eight hour shift.

But the provincial government says Nova Scotians will see a second increase on Oct. 1, when minimum wage will rise to $16.50.

“Inflation is putting pressure on Nova Scotians, and as a government, we must find ways to help,” Nolan Young, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration, said in a press release. “This year, we’re implementing one of the most significant minimum wage increases in our Province’s history – one of the many ways our government is helping Nova Scotians keep up with the rising cost of living.”

Approximately 7.3 per cent of workers, or 33,700 Nova Scotians, earn minimum wage.

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