The 2025 Living Wages Report outlines the income needed for workers in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island to afford a modest but decent standard of living. Living wage rates rose across most of Atlantic Canada, with Halifax ($29.40/hour) and Labrador–Northern Peninsula ($28.30/hour) among the highest, while P.E.I. remained the lowest at $22–23/hour. Housing and food are the largest costs in household budgets, with rent increases continuing to outpace wages. Although inflation has slowed, many families still struggle with affordability, especially in urban areas where rents remain disproportionately high. While new government programs—such as P.E.I.’s child benefit—help offset costs, the cancellation of the federal Canada Carbon Rebate in 2025 will leave low-income households worse off.

The report emphasizes that too many workers earn well below living wages: in Atlantic Canada, minimum wages are $6–12 lower per hour, leaving nearly half of Nova Scotia’s workforce below the threshold. Women and visible minority workers are disproportionately affected. The authors recommend that employers commit to paying living wages, and that governments expand public services, raise minimum wages, and strengthen supports like child care, housing, and income transfers. Without such measures, many households will remain unable to meet basic needs despite working full-time.