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A wave of rising minimum wages is sweeping our country and, indeed, the continent. In our own country, two of our most populous provinces have a $14 (Ontario) and $15 (Alberta) minimum wage. Pressure is rising in our province too, with a march planned on Tuesday.

Today, the Nova Scotia minimum wage is worth slightly less than its peak value in 1977 — $11.14 after adjusting for inflation — 40 years ago.

Because it failed to keep up with inflation, the value of the minimum wage eroded in real terms by 28 per cent between 1975 and 2002.

Nova Scotia is consistently ranked as having among the lowest, if not the lowest, average wages in the country, sometimes switching places with the other Maritime provinces to come second or third lowest. Raising the minimum wage to $15 would benefit one in three Nova Scotia workers — about 30 per cent of all workers in the province — who currently earn $15 or less.

While $15 certainly falls short of many of the living wages calculated in Canada and in our own province, including $19 for Halifax and $17.75 for Antigonish, it would still undoubtedly lift many workers out of poverty and allow them a little bit of a buffer.

Those who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage may surprise you.

Statistics Canada data from 2016 does show that fully 85 per cent of low-wage workers — those earning $15 or less — in Nova Scotia, are not students; 65 per cent work full-time, and 58 per cent work for medium to large businesses — businesses with more than 100 employees.

Unfortunately, there is no data to tell us whether African Nova Scotians, First Nations, or persons with disabilities who have disproportionately high poverty rates are equally over-represented in low wage work, but the likelihood is high.

Raising the minimum wage to $15 is good for workers, and for the economy.

An oft-repeated argument against raising the minimum wage is that it will only result in higher prices or job loss, leaving no net benefit for workers. After decades of analyzing these raises in real time — not theoretically — economists conclude that: “there is no instantaneous, automatic mechanism between higher labour costs and higher prices.” Further, there is “no consistent evidence that minimum wage levels increase or decrease employment levels.”

Both prices and employment levels are overwhelmingly determined by larger macroeconomic factors; those are the facts and to suggest otherwise is baseless fear-mongering.

More importantly, a raise puts additional money in the pockets of those who need it. Paying a decent wage decreases workers’ stress and health issues, and increases their ability to bring their best to the workplace.

In contrast, low wages have a negative ripple effect, first on the workers, and on our communities. A low wage economy results in higher health care costs from trapping people in precarious low-paid jobs without benefits and security.

Wage stagnation dampens consumer demand, while growing income inequality takes a toll on our economy and our society as a whole. Because many Nova Scotians leave the province to attain not just higher wages but also better working conditions elsewhere.

The province needs to make a priority higher labour standards, including paid sick leave, greater control over work scheduling, and equal pay for temporary work.

Do not believe the claims that higher wages will result in job losses, raise consumer prices, and do little to help low-wage workers. Let’s focus on stimulating our economy from the bottom up and take an important step toward building healthier communities together.

Christine Saulnier is the Nova Scotia director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.