Nova Scotia agrees to pay public workers about $470 million over Bill 148

Background

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Ann Smith ruled in February that Bill 148, a wage-restraint law introduced in 2015 by Stephen McNeil's Liberal government, was unconstitutional.

Public servants to be paid

81,000 workers

About 81,000 public servants would receive payouts for the breach of their Charter rights. Finance Minister John Lohr says the cost is already in the 2025-26 budget.

The proposed payouts

$1,250 per wage-freeze year
$750 for the third year
$500 for the fourth year
$1,250 for lost long-service awards

Workers get $1,250 for each year of the two-year wage freeze, $750 for the third year and $500 for the fourth. Some also get $1,250 for lost long-service awards.

What's next

Justice Smith must still sign the order, and she will not do so until the province and the unions agree on a deadline for the payouts.

Canada · 13 d ago

Nova Scotia agrees to pay public workers about $470 million over Bill 148

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Ann Smith ruled in February that Bill 148, a wage-restraint law introduced in 2015 by Stephen McNeil's Liberal government, was unconstitutional.

About 81,000 public servants would receive payouts for the breach of their Charter rights. Finance Minister John Lohr says the cost is already in the 2025-26 budget.

Workers get $1,250 for each year of the two-year wage freeze, $750 for the third year and $500 for the fourth. Some also get $1,250 for lost long-service awards.

Justice Smith must still sign the order, and she will not do so until the province and the unions agree on a deadline for the payouts.

Nova Scotia agrees to pay public workers about $470 million over Bill 148

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