Nova Scotia’s public school teachers have a new three year contract.

The province’s 10,000 teachers ratified the tentative agreement between its union and the province in a vote Wednesday. The Nova Scotia Teachers Union says 91 per cent of its members voted 80.5 per cent in favour of the deal.

When compound interest is factored in, the contract gives teachers a salary increase of 11.47 per cent over the life of the contract, retroactive to last August.

Substitute teachers will also receive an additional 12 per cent salary increase and now require eight fewer consecutive days to qualify as a full-time teacher. NSTU President Ryan Lutes says this will help address the teacher shortage.

The contract also includes an increase to the amount of time teachers are given for marking and preparation. The number of school counsellors across the province will also be increased