If you make less than $20 an hour, one third of Atlantic Canadians are in that pay range, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), with data from Stats Canada.
Not only that, the vast majority are not students, but over 20-years-old and in permanent, full-time jobs.
In fact, CCPA says, some of the lowest wages in the country are made by those who work in our region, this includes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador.
Nova Scotia has the second lowest minimum wage at $15.20/hour.
The other Atlantic provinces are not doing much better, with New Brunswick at $15.30/hour, P.E.I at $15.40/hour and Newfound and Labrador at $15.60/hour.
This gap is expected to grow once 2024 living wage expenses are calculated.
CCPA says Atlantic Canadians need a pay bump.
They highlight not only challenges faced but the gap between minimum wage and living wages necessary to afford basic expenses.
CCPA calls on provincial governments across the region to “ensure minimum wages keep pace with actual costs working households face to make ends meet.”
