Motion – Living Wage

New Brunswickers are struggling with an escalating affordability crisis that has seen skyrocketing prices for essentials, including food, housing, medication, heating oil and gas. People shouldn’t have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.

Kevin Arseneau

WHEREAS many New Brunswickers are struggling with an escalating affordability crisis that has seen skyrocketing prices for essentials, including food, housing, medication, heating oil and gasoline;

WHEREAS, although New Brunswick recently increased the minimum wage to $14.75 per hour, it remains the lowest in Atlantic Canada and the second lowest in Canada;

WHEREAS the Human Development Council calculates living wages in New Brunswick by investigating the real-life and real-time costs of living and considers the current living wage to be an average of $20 per hour in New Brunswick;

WHEREAS ensuring that all New Brunswickers earn a  living wage is crucial to lift individuals out of poverty, increase economic security, reduce financial stress, support one’s physical and mental wellness, encourage healthy child growth and development, promote social inclusion and belonging, and improve quality of life;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to create a plan to increase the minimum wage to a living wage;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to create a program to provide temporary financial support to help employers with any increased costs resulting from the transition from a minimum wage to a living wage.