New Brunswick is asking whether pay equity should reach further than it does today. The province’s current review of the Pay Equity Act is open until October 30, 2026, and the questions are not limited to the existing public sector framework. The consultation expressly asks about an expanded approach that includes private employers and the care sector. That makes this more than a technical review of an existing statute. For employers, the important possibility is that jobs in parts of the private economy that have never operated inside a formal pay equity process could eventually face a more structured obligation to compare the value of work across job classes and address wage gaps connected with historically female dominated work. No new private sector duty has been enacted through this consultation. The province is gathering input and says a summary of what it heard is expected in February 2027, with policy recommendations or next steps expected in spring 2027. Employers should therefore avoid treating the review as though a new compliance regime already exists.
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