NDP promises $15 minimum wage for P.E.I.

The NDP used itsfirst announcement of the P.E.I. election campaign in Charlottetown Friday morning to promise a $15 per hour minimum wage.

Election day on P.E.I. is April 23.

"When you have the lowest weekly wages in the country, and that's been pretty standard, I don't see how you say that it's working, because it's only working for those that have. Those that don't have, that are struggling, it's not working for them," said NDPLeader Joe Byrne.

Byrne said a $15 minimum wage would be a priority for his party, and it is something he said he would implement right away. The party would also advocate for theminimum wage to rise to $17 within four years.

An increased minimum wage, said Byrne, has been shown in other parts of the world to improve local economies and people's health.

During the announcement Friday, Byrne also expressed support for abasic income guarantee.He said he would like to see a provincially funded, five-year pilot project.

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