Province opens first minimum wage public consultation in a decade

HR professionals and other stakeholders in New Brunswick have until Oct. 9 to submit feedback on the province's minimum wage and overtime rate, a consultation that could reshape compensation floors and payroll planning for employers across the province, the New Brunswick government announced.

The provincial government is seeking input from organisations, employers and workers on how the minimum wage affects them.

While the department reviews the minimum wage every two years, this is the first public consultation on the issue in 10 years, the government said.

The review will examine:

• the minimum wage amount

• how it is determined 

• the timeline for any changes

• the social and economic effects of the wage, including the cost of basic necessities in New Brunswick. 

Feedback can be submitted through an online form, by emailing [email protected] or by phone at 1-844-453-4155.

Alyson Townsend, the minister responsible for labour, said the government wants to balance affordability with employer realities. "It is important to government that New Brunswick's minimum wage supports workers, while recognising the economic realities facing employers," Townsend said. "I can't stress enough how important it is that people take the time to participate."

Current rates under review

New Brunswick's minimum wage is currently $15.90 per hour, following a 25-cent increase on April 1, 2026. The rate is updated annually based on the province's all-items consumer price index, published by Statistics Canada, the New Brunswick government said in the release.

The consultation also covers the minimum overtime rate, currently $23.85 per hour — 1.5 times the minimum wage — payable for hours worked beyond 44 in a week. The department is asking whether the overtime rate should instead be tied to 1.5 times an employee's regular wage rather than the minimum wage, a change that would affect overtime cost calculations for higher-paid hourly staff.

Other engagement questions ask whether minimum wage rates in other Atlantic provinces should factor into New Brunswick's decision-making, and whether a full-time minimum wage worker can afford housing, food and transportation in the province.

Canada minimum wage rates by jurisdiction (as of August 2026)