In Canada, the determination of minimum wage within each province or territory is the responsibility of the respective jurisdiction. Simply put, it is the province or territory’s role to establish and enforce these rates by labour legislation. As an employer, your task is to be aware of the specified minimum wage amounts and ensure that your employees are compensated at or above these rates for their work. Minimum wage adjustments typically occur annually or semi-annually and are frequently linked to inflation and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Current Minimum Wage Across Canada
Here is a table listing the hourly minimum wages for adult workers in each province and territory of Canada.
| Province | Minimum Hourly Wage |
| Alberta | $15.00 |
| British Columbia | $16.75 |
| Manitoba | $15.30 |
| New Brunswick | $14.75 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $15.00 |
| Northwest Territories | $16.05 |
| Nova Scotia | $15.00 |
| Nunavut | $16.00 |
| Ontario | $16.55 |
| Prince Edward Island | $15.00 |
| Quebec | $15.25 |
| Saskatchewan | $14.00 |
| Yukon | $16.77 |
Federal Minimum Wage
As of April 1, 2023, Canada has implemented a fresh federal minimum wage, establishing it at $16.65 per hour. Before this change, workers were governed by the minimum wage of the specific province or territory in which they were employed. The government now sets this new federal minimum wage and adjusts it by inflation.
Special Minimum Wage Rates
As a rule, provincial or territorial minimum wage regulations are universally applicable to all workers, irrespective of their age, specific job role, or the hours they work. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that certain provinces permit variations in minimum wages based on age and for specific specialized occupations. These distinct minimum wage rates are applicable in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.
For example, the minimum wage requirements in Ontario, set out in the province’s Employment Standards Act as of October 1, 2023, differ for the following categories:
- General minimum wage: $16.55 per hour.
- Student minimum wage: $15.60 per hour.
- Homeworkers minimum wage: $18.20 per hour.
- Hunting, fishing and wilderness guides minimum wage: A day rate of $82.85 for less than five consecutive hours of work per day, or $165.75 for five or more hours of work per day.
