Fredericton — The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity welcomes the mention of pay transparency in today’s Speech from the Throne by the provincial government.
“This is an encouraging step toward greater fairness in the workplace,” said Joanne Wright, Anglophone Vice-Chair of the Coalition.
The Speech from the Throne states:
In 2026, your government will introduce pay transparency legislation which will promote fairness, accountability and equity across all sectors by ensuring compensation practices are open and inclusive
By providing clear information about compensation, pay transparency helps expose hidden inequalities so they can be addressed more effectively. It sheds light on unjustified wage gaps, particularly those based on gender, and promotes fairer, more open workplace practices. More specifically, pay transparency legislation can require employers to include pay ranges in job advertisements and guarantee employees the right to discuss their pay freely at work.
Since 2023, the Coalition has collaborated with community, labour, and academic groups to propose a pay transparency model law suited to New Brunswick. Similar laws already exist elsewhere in Canada, such as in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. For the Coalition, it’s time for New Brunswick to follow suit.
“Pay transparency doesn’t replace pay equity, it complements it. It reveals the gaps that pay equity can then help close,” Wright added. “Pay transparency can also help uphold pay parity, which has, in theory, been guaranteed under law since the 1960s in New Brunswick.”
At last Friday’s Equity in Motion event, Premier Susan Holt also announced that pay equity legislation will be introduced in 2026.
“We’re pleased to see that pay transparency will pave the way as early as the next legislative session. It would be an important first step toward ensuring the right to pay equity for everyone,” Wright concluded.
– 30 –