Minimum wage gets a boost in New Brunwick

Province increases minimum wage to $6.30 an hour effective Jan. 1, 2005

New Brunswick is raising its minimum wage by 10 cents an hour on Jan. 1, 2005, to $6.30 an hour.

Margaret-Ann Blaney, the province’s training and employment development minister, said the increase is the second installment of New Brunswick’s commitment to raise the minimum wage by 10 per cent.

“This will benefit thousands of New Brunswickers and continues our phased-in approach to increase the minimum wage to $6.60 per hour during our current mandate,” said Blaney.

The wage bump also means an increase of the minimum wage payable for time worked in excess of 44 hours per week from $9.30 to $9.45 per hour. In addition, there will also be an increase to the minimum wage for employees whose hours of work per week are unverifiable and who are not strictly employed on a commission basis from $272.80 to $277.20 per week.

The government has raised the minimum wage five times since 1999, which represents an overall increase of almost 15 per cent. Blaney said the government is phasing in the minimum wage increases in small amounts to allow employers to plan and adjust.

According to a report by The Canadian Press, slightly more than 15,000 New Brunswickers earn the minimum wage.

For a detailed look at minimum wage rates across the country, click on the related articles link below.

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