Employers in Canada's smallest province will soon start paying minimum-wage earners an extra 30 cents an hour.

P.E.I.'s minimum wage will rise to $8.70 on June 1, followed by an additional hike of 30 cents on October 1, 2010. The two-stage increase to $9 "will provide the Island business community more time to integrate the salary adjustments into their budgets," says Janice Sherry, P.E.I.'s Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour.

It will also bring P.E.I.'s minimum wage more in line with that of other maritime provinces. New Brunswick's minimum wage is $8.50, which rises to $9 on September 1, 2010, while Nova Scotia's minimum is $9.20 for experienced workers and $8.70 for inexperienced labour.

Ontario's general minimum wage rose to $10.25 in March, making it the highest rate in Canada.

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