New Brunswick’s living wage reaches $24.84 per hour — almost $9 higher than minimum wage

New Brunswick’s living wage — defined as the amount that a worker must earn “to meet basic needs, live with dignity, and maintain a decent quality of life” — has reached $24.84 per hour, according to the latest calculations from the Saint John-based Human Development Council.

That’s almost $9 higher than the minimum wage, which currently stands at $15.90 per hour. Roughly 40 per cent of workers in New Brunswick earned less than the provincial living wage in 2025, according to the Human Development Council.

The newly-published report also includes living wage estimates for New Brunswick’s three largest cities. Fredericton’s was the highest at $26.32 per hour, followed by Moncton at $25.54 and Saint John at $24.44.

In addition to housing and groceries — the two biggest expense lines across the board — the living wage calculation “accounts for child care, transportation, health care, and the small things that help families feel connected and secure,” said Heather Atcheson, a social researcher for the Human Development Council, in a statement.

“When wages fall short of that benchmark, families face difficult choices about how to make ends meet.”

The calculations are based on expenses for a household with two parents working full-time, with two children, ages two and seven. The model assumes that the younger child is in full-time daycare, while the older one is enrolled in after-school care. The report also takes into account government transfers, such as the Canada Child Benefit, and mandatory deductions, such as taxes and contributions to CPP and EI.

The methodology has certain limitations, as acknowledged in the report. For example, it doesn’t account for households with just one breadwinner. 

The model isn’t meant to reflect what a family needs for bare survival, but what they need “to live well and participate fully in their communities.” For example, it includes a modest allowance to cover emergencies, equivalent to two weeks’ pay per parent annually.

And while the hypothetical budget sets aside money for a “basic private health insurance plan” covering services not included under Medicare, it wouldn’t be enough for someone with a disability or serious medical conditions, as noted in the report. Nor does it include certain factors that many families wrestle with, such as credit card payments.

Due to various updates to the methodology, this year’s calculations aren’t directly comparable to past Human Development Council reports. For example, the latest figures were calculated using Statistics Canada’s 2023 Market Basket Measure, replacing the 2018 measure that was previously used. This year’s calculation also includes the cost of an internet connection and two cell phone plans.

Regardless of those changes, all living wage reports from the Human Development Council have shown that wages fall short of a decent standard of living for many New Brunswickers.

In a statement, the Human Development Council urged employers to consider using the living wage as a benchmark to compensate their workers. The group also called for “continued action on the broader conditions that affect household affordability, including minimum wages, affordable housing, accessible child care and adequate government benefits.”

New Brunswick’s minimum wage is adjusted annually based on the previous year’s rate of inflation. In August, Premier Susan Holt’s Liberal government launched public consultations about the minimum wage and overtime policy. A report summarizing feedback from the public is expected to be released next month.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, via the Local Journalism Initiative.