New Brunswick’s living wage rises to $24.77: report

A report finds people need nearly $25 an hour to live comfortably in New Brunswick.

A new report finds that full-time working parents with two kids in New Brunswick need to be making at least $24.77 an hour each in order to make ends meet.

The Human Development Council released its Living Wages in New Brunswick 2025 report Wednesday which looks into what the average cost of living is across New Brunswick.

A living wage is not the same as a minimum wage or guaranteed annual income. A living wage is a calculated income number that allows a family to avoid financial stress while still being able to support healthy child development and community participation.

The number, which is based off a two-parent, two-child household, takes into account family expenses, employment income, and possible government transfers and taxes.

In 2024, the provincial living wage was $24.62. Since the council first began calculating the number in 2018, living rates have increased each year in New Brunswick.

Kinshi Ladipo-Daniel is a student at University of New Brunswick Saint John. She was surprised to learn the liveable wage was nearly $25.

“I think it’s kind of sad that someone has to make $25 an hour just to survive in New Brunswick,” she says. “It’s heartbreaking.”

The sentiment is shared by fellow student Charlie Cavanaugh.

“That honestly makes a lot of sense because everything is so expensive,” says Cavanaugh, who also commented on the disparity between the livable wage and the provinces minimum wage. “That’s a really big difference.”

The gap between the calculated living wage and New Brunswick’s minimum wage is $9.12. Almost half of those working in New Brunswick earn less than a living wage according to the report.

“New Brunswick has the third-lowest minimum wage in Canada, currently set at $15.65,” reads the report. “While the rate increased by 35 cents in April 2025, this adjustment simply kept pace with inflation. It did not improve workers’ real purchasing power.”

Heather Atcheson is a social researcher with the Human Development Council. With around 45 per cent of full-time workers making under the livable wage number, she says it can be disheartening to learn what you need to earn compared to what you earn.

“In previous years, people have contacted us after hearing about us on the news or wherever, just saying like maybe I don’t buy it or I’m a small business owner and I would love to pay a living wage, but I can’t,” says Atcheson.

“There’s a number of factors I think that would be barriers or reasons why it’s hard to, kind of take this sort of idea and run with it.”

While the provincial living wage is $24.77, the numbers vary slightly for New Brunswick’s three major cities where more data is available.

The cheapest living wage lies in Moncton at a cost of $24.43 and is slightly higher in Saint John at $24.49. In Fredericton the living wages is over a dollar and a half more at $26.06.

“A lot of the jobs that are available to people are just tend to be lower wage in New Brunswick,” says Human Development Council data analyst and researcher coordinator Liam Fischer. “What this means for families earning less than a living wage is that sacrifices have to be made.”

For 26 per cent of families, shelter is the most expensive section of the budget. When including rent, insurance, utilities, and internet costs the average household is spending $1,843.49 a month on shelter. The council says rent has increased seven per cent on average in the past year.

Food amounts to 20 per cent of the monthly expense, at a price tag of around $1,442.73 annually.

Sixteen per cent of the monthly expenses are put towards child care, while household expenses and transportation each account for 10 per cent to round out the top five.

Fischer notes the living wage number does not account for things such as retirement savings, anything related to possible disability costs, and savings for a child’s post-secondary education.

“They might not be able to get their car fixed in a particular month, or they might have to sacrifice on bills one month,” says Fischer.

The HDC says the ability to provide a living wage would not just be advantageous for employees, but also the greater community.

“There’s improved worker productivity and efficiency, which is great for the workforce,” lists Atcheson. “There’s boosted morale and job satisfaction. Also, the living wage research indicates that it encourages healthy child growth and development, and that’s key to well-being across the lifespan.”

She adds some places in Canada, including Halifax, have signed on to become living wage employers meaning contracted staff are paid a living wage.

She says there are other places in British Columbia and Ontario where businesses are recognized for paying their employees a living wage.

Looking ahead to 2026, HDC officials don’t foresee things getting any easier on the affordability front for residents.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.