Halifax, April 1, 2026 — As Nova Scotia’s minimum wage rises to $16.75 per hour today, small business owners unfortunately know a second increase to $17.00 is coming on October 1, 2026.
CFIB continues to recommend that the Nova Scotia government return to a once-a-year increase on April 1 and that it change the Employee Standard Act to link minimum wage increases to the current percentage of the median wage.
Increasing wages twice a year is not how businesses operate across the province. The continuous pressure applied on the wage scales is present in Nova Scotia with 59% of business owners continuing to report wages as a major input cost constraint.
If Nova Scotia does not link its minimum wage increases to the current percentage of the median wage, it risks pushing Nova Scotia’s minimum wage to median wage ratio toward levels seen in countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico.
Frédéric Gionet, Director, PEI/Atlantic, CFIB
C: 506-961-2793
frederic.gionet@cfib.ca
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses, with 103,000 members across every industry and region, including over 4,200 members in Nova Scotia. CFIB advocates for policy change at all levels of government, provides expert advice and tools, and negotiates exclusive savings to help business owners succeed. Learn more at cfib.ca.