A new report says roughly half of workers in Nova Scotia earn less than the hourly pay needed to cover basic expenses. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says that Nova Scotia’s minimum living wage is $28.63 per hour, while the Province’s minimum wage is $17.00 per hour. That’s a gap of $11.63 per hour. The report focused on wages in Nova Scotia, P-E-I, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The non-partisan research group says those provinces should consider living-wage estimates when setting minimum wages.
The price of a single domestic stamp is increasing by more than 50 cents next year in an effort to help Canada Post become self-sustaining after years of financial losses. The latest budget says the cost will go from one dollar and 44 cents to two dollars — plus a seven per cent cost increase each year after.
Canada Post’s vice-president of communications says the price for U-S-bound and international letter stamps will also go up, though the amount has not yet been decided. The Crown corporation is not changing the price of parcel shipping, which it says is a market-driven product.
An online tool released by the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates there were nearly 345-thousand federal employees in this year’s second quarter. That’s down 6.5 per cent from two years ago.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada said in 2023 it negotiated language in contracts to protect public service jobs and reduce outside contracting.
Despite vows to cut back on its use of contractors, the government spent 19-billion dollars on external consultants last year, the same amount as the year before.
The Town of New Glasgow says that Wednesday’s Remembrance Day parade will leave the Royal Canadian Legion Normandy Branch 34 at 10:30 a.m. and proceed to Carmichael Park for an 11:00 a.m. service. All are welcome to attend and pay their respects to those who have served and those who gave their lives.