Canadian dollar coins are displayed in Montreal, on Jan. 30, 2015. The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson
The minimum wage has risen in five provinces this month, with increases ranging from 25 to 40 cents.
The increases are now applied in Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
Here’s a look at the changes in each of the provinces and how they stack up across the country.
Ontario
Ontario’s minimum wage rose 35 cents on Oct. 1 to $17.95, making it the fourth highest in the country among the provinces and territories.
The province increases its minimum wage every year on Oct. 1, based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Labour Minister Trevor Jones said an employee earning the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week can expect their annual earnings to increase by roughly $728 over 12 months.
“As families and workers face higher costs and businesses navigate changing trade environments, today’s minimum wage increase will help workers keep pace with global economic uncertainty while maintaining a predictable approach that businesses can plan for,” Jones said in a press release.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is boosting its minimum wage from $17 to $17.30, making it the second-highest rate among the five provinces to introduce increases this month.
The province has also announced it is planning another increase next spring. The rate will rise to $17.60 per hour on April 1.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia introduced a 25 cent increase on Oct. 1, moving its minimum wage to $17. It marked the second adjustment this year after the April 1 bump that brought the rate to $16.75.
Labour Minister Nolan Young said the decision was made by the Minimum Wage Review Committee, which includes employee and employer representatives.
The consumer price index, supplemented by one percent, forms the basis of this adjustment as mandated by minimum wage regulations, the province said.
“Raising the minimum wage means more money in the pockets of Nova Scotians who need it most,” Young said in a press release. “We’re also helping employers manage costs by lowering taxes and investing in programs that help businesses attract and keep skilled workers.”
Manitoba
Manitoban workers received the largest bump in minimum wage pay—40 cents—but the province still has one of the lower rates in the country. The minimum wage rose from $16 to $16.40 on Oct. 1.
The Employment Standards Code establishes the framework for Manitoba’s minimum wage, which is reviewed and adjusted on an annual basis.
The province said the adjustment reflects Manitoba’s 2025 inflation rate, rounded up to the nearest five cents.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan, like Ontario, instituted a 35 cent increase to its minimum wage this month, pushing it from $15.35 to $15.70 per hour.
The province’s rate is the second lowest in the country.
Saskatchewan determines its minimum wage through an indexation formula that equally balances shifts in both the Consumer Price Index and the province’s average hourly wage, to represent economic conditions, Labour Relations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said.
“To keep Saskatchewan’s economy strong, we have tried to balance the need for an increase to the minimum wage with ensuring employers are able to continue to build strong businesses and opportunity for growth,” Cheveldayoff said.
Other Provinces
The latest rate changes mean all provinces and territories have implemented increases this year, except for Alberta, which has kept its minimum wage frozen since October 1, 2018.
Alberta has the nation’s lowest minimum wage rate at $15 per hour.
Nunavut lifted its minimum wage at the beginning of September and leads the country at $20.17 an hour, followed by Yukon, which changed its rate to $18.51 on April 1. British Columbia is third on the list with $18.25 as of June 1.
The Northwest Territories hiked its rate to $17.20 on Sept. 1, while Quebec upped its rate to $16.60 on May 1.
Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick both put increases into effect on April 1 at $16.35 and $15.90 respectively.
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