Fredericton — The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity welcomes the government’s commitment, in the 2026-2027 budget speech, to introduce pay transparency legislation for all employers, along with a $250,000 investment to support its rollout. Pay transparency is a measure both the government and the Coalition recognize as a key step towards phasing in pay equity.
“We are encouraged that the government reiterated its promise to legislate pay transparency”, said Raphaëlle Valay-Nadeau, Chair of the Coalition. “Pay transparency and pay equity go hand in hand to address and reduce wage discrimination.”
For years, the Coalition has advocated for pay transparency through research, collaboration, and sustained public engagement. It calls for legislation that protects workers’ rights to discuss wages, prohibits questions about salary history, and requires employers to include salary ranges in job postings.
The Coalition also highlights the provincial government’s $9.3 million investment in the wages of care workers.
“While these investments may help wages to keep pace with inflation, they fall short in recognizing the value of care work and are insufficient to achieve pay equity. We need sustained investments in equitable wages along with a clear roadmap to ensure pay equity in this sector,” added Valay-Nadeau.
The government also announced that it will soon release its long-awaited seniors and long-term care strategy. The Coalition hopes that it will include measures to ensure pay equity in the sector.
“Supporting workers’ rights through pay transparency and pay equity legislation, as well as investments in the caregiving sector, is particularly important in these times of economic and social uncertainty. We look forward to collaborating with the government to implement these commitments,” stated Valay-Nadeau.
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The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity is a group of individuals and organizations that pursues and ensures the realization of the right to pay equity and to just conditions of work for women. To that end, the Coalition engages in communication, education, research, advocacy for the adoption and the implementation of adequate legislation, as well as public policy dialogue and development.
Pay equity is equal pay for work of equal value. To achieve pay equity, the value of female-dominated jobs must be compared to the value of male-dominated jobs.