The province is raising the minimum wage by 20 cents to $10.60 an hour today, a hike it says is needed to keep pace with cost of living increases.

Minimum wage rates are adjusted annually in Nova Scotia and are based on the previous year's national Consumer Price Index.

This increase makes Nova Scotia"s minimum wage as the fifth highest in the country. Nunavut and Ontario have the highest minimum wage in the country at $11 an hour. The Northwest Territories has the lowest at $10 an hour.

But not all hourly wage earners in Nova Scotia will earn $10.60 an hour as there is a lower rate for those with less than three months experience. It will also increase by 20 cents to $10.10 an hour.

Most provinces have alternate rates of pay for specific workers. In Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario people who serve liquor are paid a lower rate. In Quebec, employees who usually receive gratuities are also paid less.

The Retail Council of Canada says it supports Nova Scotia's approach of setting the minimum wage because it "is directly linked to the economy, is predictable, and allows retailers lead time to budget and manage changes to their labour costs."

