Minimum Wage Rises, But a Livable Income Remains Out of Reach
- NL NDP
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
For Immediate Release
April 1, 2025
Today, the Liberal government raised the minimum wage to $16 an hour, but NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) says this increase still leaves many struggling to make ends meet.
The Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives (CCPA) report Living Wages in 2024 highlights the stark reality of what it takes to survive in Newfoundland and Labrador as a minimum wage worker. For the province, CCPA says that a living wage would be $24.10 in Central, $23.10 in Western, $24.70 in Eastern, and $27.30 in Northern Peninsula and Labrador, far beyond the new minimum wage.
“We still have a way to go to achieve a liveable minimum wage, said Dinn. “Workers across this province are being crushed under the weight of the cost-of-living crisis. People are stretched beyond their limits, and a 40-cent increase will not keep their heads above water.”
Dinn also raised concerns about the consequences of this wage hike, warning that the government must adjust income thresholds for support programs.
“Minimum-wage workers putting in 40 hours a week are already excluded from the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program (NLPDP),” Dinn said. “Raising the minimum wage could disqualify workers from critical supports. Regardless of this raise, government needs to increase these thresholds across the board to reflect today’s economic reality.”
“Workers need a basic livable income, not just to help them get by, but to strengthen our economy and prevent people from having to work two or three jobs just to survive. Removing the HST from all forms of home heating and children’s goods would also go a long way in helping minimum wage workers keep their heads above water.”
“As families face skyrocketing costs for food, housing, and other essentials, driven by corporate profiteering and external market forces, government must have discussions with small businesses and other stakeholders on how to achieve a livable minimum wage. People need real relief, not symbolic gestures.”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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