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New Brunswick Minimum Wage Increases September 1

April 15 2009 - From today, New Brunswickers on the minimum wage will receive a $0.25 per hour increase, raising the minimum wage to $8. A further increase of 25 cents per hour comes into effect on September 1, when the minimum wage rate will be $8.25 an hour.

New Brunswick's economy may be slowing, said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Donald Arseneault but it is important to continue to give individuals and families the opportunity to have a better standard of living, and help them build a better future in the province.

"We want New Brunswickers to work in this province and be successful," said Arseneault. "At the same time, we are seeking to attract outside investors to help New Brunswick grow and be self-sufficient by 2026."

Discussions have been initiated by the Minimum Wage Board to review economic conditions in New Brunswick, and determine if it can make recommendations to government for a longer-term plan regarding the minimum wage.

"We look forward to working in co-operation with the independent board with respect to a detailed plan for future increases," said Arseneault. "As the province pursues a poverty reduction plan, the issue of minimum wage is likely to play an important role in stakeholder discussions. A long-term plan for future increases to the minimum wage will provide predictability for employers, and more certainty for wage earners."

40 hours a week at the September minimum wage rate will produce $330 compared with the $268 received by a minimum-wage earner working a 40-hour week in October 2006.

For more information on the minimum wage, paid public holidays, and the Employment Standards Act, contact the Employment Standards Branch of the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour at 1-888-452-2687, or visit the department's website.