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Decent or Precarious? Understanding the Quality of Work in Nova Scotia
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Cerdas Sandí, Daniel (Author)
- Casey, Rebecca (Author)
- Brickner, Rachel K. (Author)
Title
Decent or Precarious? Understanding the Quality of Work in Nova Scotia
Abstract
This report on Nova Scotia’s labour market finds that precarious employment is widespread and leaves many workers just one setback away from deeper insecurity. The report shows that 30.4 per cent of paid employees — approximately 131,000 workers — are in precarious jobs, with low wages, limited protection and job instability. About 43 per cent of employees show at least two signs of precariousness, leaving many workers on the edge of precarity, and at risk of deeper insecurity if their job conditions worsen. Too many workers in Nova Scotia are working hard without the stability they need to make ends meet,” said Dr. Daniel Cerdas-Sandí, co-author and CCPA-NS research staff. “This is not a marginal issue. Precarity is a defining feature of our labour market,” says Cerdas-Sandí. The study uses two complementary tools: an Employment Precarity Index based on Statistics Canada’s 2024 Labour Force Survey, and for the first time a 2025 survey of workers across Nova Scotia conducted by Angus Reid, which captures the day-to-day experiences such as unpredictable schedules, on-call demands, and fear of losing work.--Publisher's description (press release)
Institution
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Nova Scotia Office
Place
Halifax
Date
2026
Pages
78 pages
Citation
Cerdas Sandí, D., Casey, R., & Brickner, R. K. (2026). Decent or Precarious? Understanding the Quality of Work in Nova Scotia (p. 78 pages). Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Nova Scotia Office. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/adw-decent-or-precarious/#full-report
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