Canada Minimum Wage May Update: The minimum wage is the lowest wage rate an employer must provide to their employees for the services they provide. The minimum wage helps in fulfilling the basic requirements of beneficiaries. The government of Canada is responsible for setting up the federal minimum wage for the citizens. Whereas the provincial government set up its province’s minimum wage. Employees who are working for the federal jurisdiction get the wages according to the wage set by the provincial government. The government makes all Canada Minimum Wage Update.
The changes are usually based on the country’s financial and other aspects. Read the following article to the end for detailed information regarding the Canada Minimum Wage Update, including the province-wise minimum wage.
Table of Contents
Canada Minimum Wage Increase May 2024
Currently, the minimum wage in Canada is revolving around 16.65 dollars. The government of Canada generally sets the federal minimum rate. The mentioned wage is the hourly wage rate that must be paid to the employees by their respective employers. The Canada Minimum Wage Update came into effect from 1st April 2023 onwards. Earlier, the federal minimum wage was 15.55 dollars hourly.
The Minimum Wage Database officially holds detailed information regarding the Canada Minimum Wage Update. The same minimum wage rate has been applicable for the Alberta province since 26 June 2019 (15 dollars on an hourly basis). Nunavut has also not changed its Minimum Wage Rate since 1 April 2020, which is 16 dollars per hour. The other provincial governments adjust their wage rates from time to time according to requirements and factors that affect the country’s economic system.
Readers can also check the changes in the hourly wage rates through the government’s Minimum Wage Rate. However, it will be hard to locate. If the province/ territory minimum wage rate is higher than the one set by the federal government, then the worker must be paid the one with a higher amount. Jurisdictions have also set some special rates for particular occupations, considering the qualification and quality of the work.
What are the Province Wise Minimum Wages 2024 in Canada?
Provisional Jurisdiction’s minimum wage rate is usually handled by the provinces. Please note that the concerned authority has changed the minimum wage rates for some provinces. Whereas the minimum wage rate for other provinces hasn’t changed at all. Scroll down and check the table holding some of the essential information:
| Jurisdiction | Minimum Wage |
| New Brunswick | 14.75 dollars |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 15 dollars |
| Ontario | 16.55 dollars |
| Northwest Territories | 16.05 dollars |
| British Columbia | 16.75 dollars |
| Quebec | 15.25 dollars |
| Prince Edward Island | 15 dollars |
| Nunavut | 16 dollars |
| Yukon | 16.77 dollars |
| Saskatchewan | 14 dollars |
| Nova Scotia | 15 dollars |
| Alberta | 15 dollars |
| Manitoba | 15.30 dollars |
(Please note that the wage rates mentioned above for different jurisdictions are hourly. It has been decided officially that the minimum wage rate in Saskatchewan will increase to 15 dollars from 1st October 2024)
Canada Minimum Wage Updates
Alberta Minimum Wage
| Domestic employees | 2,848 dollars per month |
| Salespersons | 598 dollars per week |
| Students (under 18) | 13 dollars per hour restrictions apply) |
| General Minimum | 15 dollars per hour |
Saskatchewan Minimum Wage
| Effective from 1st October 2023 | 14 dollars per hour |
| Effective from 1st October 2024 | 15 dollars per hour |
Prince Edward Island Minimum Wage
| Effective from 1st October 2023 | 15 dollars per hour |
| Effective from 1st April 2024 | 15.40 dollars per hour |
| Effective from 1st October 2024 | 16 dollars per hour |
Ontario Minimum Wage
| General minimum | 16.55 dollars per hour |
| Student minimum | 15.60 dollars per hour |
| Homeworkers wage | 18.20 dollars per hour |
Canada Minimum Wage Update (Jurisdiction-Wise)
The following are some more minimum wage updates:
- Nunavut Minimum Wage: 16 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st April 2020)
- Quebec Minimum Wage: 15.25 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st May 2023)
- Nova Scotia Minimum Wage: 15 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st October 2023)
- Northwest Territories Minimum Wage: 16.05 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st September 2023)
- Newfoundland and Labrador Minimum Wage: 15 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st October 2023)
- British Columbia Minimum Wage: 16.75 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st June 2023)
- Manitoba Minimum Wage: 15.30 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st October 2023)
- Yukon Minimum Wage: 16.77 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st April 2023)
- New Brunswick Minimum Wage: 14.75 dollars per hour (Effective from 1st April 2023)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the purposes of minimum wage?
Some of the major purposes of minimum wages are as follows:
1. To ensure that workers are receiving a basic income that can cover essential living costs.
2. To reduce poverty and narrow down the increasing income gap at some level.
3. To increase economic growth as high income leads to more spending and increasing demand for goods and services.
What is the highest Canada Minimum Wage Update in 2024?
According to the reports, the highest provincial wage in Canada is in Yukon province, which is around 16.77 dollars per hour.