December 2nd, 2025
Nova Scotia’s restaurant industry is heading into 2026 with another round of wage pressures. The province has confirmed two separate minimum wage increases next year, moving from the current $16.50 → $16.75 on April 1, and then to $17.00 on October 1. For restaurants already navigating tight margins, inflation, staffing shortages, and rising food costs, these adjustments will shape pricing, scheduling, and overall profitability heading into 2026.
Nova Scotia’s minimum wage rises twice in 2026, reaching $17/hour by October.
Increase follows the CPI+1% formula and a two-stage rollout to help businesses adjust.
Restaurants will feel the biggest impact on payroll.
Most minimum wage earners in NS (72%) hold permanent jobs and 41% work full-time, amplifying cost pressure.
Operators should prepare by revisiting pricing, scheduling efficiency, menu engineering, and automation options.
Nova Scotia has confirmed that the minimum wage will rise twice in 2026 based on the Minimum Wage Review Committee’s unanimous recommendation. The two-step increase is designed to ease pressure on businesses after last year’s larger adjustments.
2026 Wage Schedule
This follows the province’s legislated formula: Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 1%, ensuring wages move in line with living costs.
Minister Nolan Young emphasized that the approach aims to balance affordability for workers while giving employers predictable timelines for planning.
Nova Scotia’s two-stage minimum wage increase in 2026 will add real pressure to restaurant operations, but it also offers time to plan and adapt. By analyzing labour costs early, refining menus, improving scheduling efficiency, and adopting technology that reduces manual work, operators can offset rising expenses while maintaining service quality. Combined with stronger retention strategies and awareness of available provincial supports, restaurants can navigate the higher wage environment with greater stability and resilience.
It increases twice to $16.75 on April 1 and to $17.00 on October 1, following the CPI+1% formula.
Restaurants relying heavily on minimum-wage workers will see payroll increases of several thousand dollars annually, depending on staff count and hours worked.
