Five Provinces Set for Minimum Wage Increase in October

The minimum wage is increasing in Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan as of Oct. 1.

The Ontario government announced in April its plan to increase the minimum wage from $17.20 to $17.60 an hour, effective Oct. 1. The hourly rate for students will rise from $16.20 to $16.60.

Minimum wage, the lowest hourly amount an employer can pay a worker, is regulated by provinces and territories.

Ontario’s minimum wage is adjusted each year in accordance with inflation rates within the province. The latest adjustment is determined by the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), which stands at 2.4 percent, resulting in an annual pay increase of $835 for those working 40 hours per week, the province said.

The upcoming rate change will elevate Ontario’s minimum wage to the fourth-highest in Canada, behind British Columbia at $17.85, Yukon at $17.94, and Nunavut at $19.75.

It also lags behind the federal minimum wage rate of $17.75, which applies to federally regulated industries. If an employee resides in a province or territory where the minimum wage exceeds this amount, they are entitled to receive the hourly wage set by that jurisdiction.

The minimum wage in Prince Edward Island is set to rise from $16 to $16.50, as established by the Employment Standards Board, which conducts an annual review of the rate. The province will experience another increase to $17 effective April 1.

Nova Scotia will have the same increase as P.E.I., with the minimum wage rising from $16 to $16.50 next month.

Manitoba’s minimum wage will increase from $15.80 to $16. It is updated annually in accordance with the province’s Employment Standards Code. The province announced that the increase of 20 cents per hour this year corresponds to Manitoba’s inflation rate of 1.1 percent for 2024, rounded to the nearest five cents.

Saskatchewan will have the lowest minimum wage among the five provinces, despite the Oct. 1 increase of 35 cents. It will rise from $15 an hour to $15.35. 

Alberta, which is not raising its minimum wage on Oct. 1, currently has the lowest minimum wage rate in the country, at $15 per hour. It falls behind New Brunswick at $15.65, Newfoundland and Labrador at $16, Quebec at $16.10, and Northwest Territories at $16.95.

Alberta’s current rate of $15 an hour was established by then-premier Rachel Notley’s NDP government in 2018, making it the highest minimum wage in Canada at the time. Alberta has not made any adjustments to this rate since, while other provinces have increased theirs.

Statistics Canada data shows Alberta’s annual CPI rose by roughly 20 percent between 2018 and 2024.

Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said on social media this means Albertans are due for a raise, and urged the government of Premier Danielle Smith to adjust it according to inflation.

Economy Minister Joseph Schow said in a media statement the majority of individuals earning the minimum wage are 24 or younger, noting that most are either in their first job or are in the early stages of entering the workforce.

“When it comes to minimum wage, we are balancing workforce needs while also ensuring businesses are not forced to raise costs or be unable to pay their employees, putting entry-level jobs at risk,” Schow said.

“The fact is Alberta remains one of the most affordable places to call home with lower cost of living, more affordable housing options, along with lower taxes that keep more money in the pockets of Albertans.”

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.