What is the new minimum wage in Canada?
There is no single minimum wage for all of Canada — each province and territory sets its own. After the October 1, 2026 increases, the general minimum wage ranges from $15.00 an hour in Alberta to $20.17 an hour in Nunavut. The federal minimum wage, which covers federally regulated workplaces like banks, airlines and telecoms, is $18.15 an hour as of April 1, 2026.
Five provinces raised their rates on October 1, 2026: Ontario ($17.95), Prince Edward Island ($17.30), Nova Scotia ($17.00), Manitoba ($16.40) and Saskatchewan ($15.70). The Northwest Territories ($17.20) and Nunavut ($20.17) went up on September 1.
Minimum wage by province and territory (2026)
These are the general adult minimum wages in effect today, sorted from highest to lowest. Some provinces have different rates for students, liquor servers or specific jobs.
| Province / territory | Current rate | Previous rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal (federally regulated jobs) | $18.15 | $17.75 | April 1, 2026 |
| Nunavut | $20.17 | $19.75 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| Yukon | $18.51 | $17.94 | April 1, 2026 |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | $17.85 | June 1, 2026 |
| Ontario | $17.95 | $17.60 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.30 | $17.00 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Northwest Territories | $17.20 | $16.95 | Sept 1, 2026 |
| Nova Scotia | $17.00 | $16.75 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Quebec | $16.60 | $16.10 | May 1, 2026 |
| Manitoba | $16.40 | $16.00 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $16.35 | $16.00 | April 1, 2026 |
| New Brunswick | $15.90 | $15.65 | April 1, 2026 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.70 | $15.35 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| Alberta | $15.00 | — | Oct 1, 2018 |
Minimum wage increases on October 1, 2026
Five provinces raised their minimum wage on October 1. The increases follow last year's inflation, so they range from 25 to 40 cents an hour.
- Ontario: $17.60 → $17.95 an hour (+35¢, about $728 more a year full-time)
- Prince Edward Island: $17.00 → $17.30 an hour (+30¢, about $624 more a year full-time)
- Nova Scotia: $16.75 → $17.00 an hour (+25¢, about $520 more a year full-time)
- Manitoba: $16.00 → $16.40 an hour (+40¢, about $832 more a year full-time)
- Saskatchewan: $15.35 → $15.70 an hour (+35¢, about $728 more a year full-time)
Two territories raised their rates a month earlier, on September 1, 2026:
- Nunavut: $19.75 → $20.17 an hour (+42¢)
- Northwest Territories: $16.95 → $17.20 an hour (+25¢)
Earlier in 2026, rates also went up in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Yukon (April 1), Quebec (May 1) and British Columbia (June 1). Alberta's rate has stayed at $15.00 since October 2018.
Minimum wage take-home pay by province
Here is what a full-time minimum wage job pays in each province — 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year — and what you keep after federal tax, provincial tax, CPP (or QPP) and EI at 2026 rates.
| Province / territory | Annual gross | Annual take-home | Biweekly take-home | Per hour after tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunavut | $41,954 | $35,265 | $1,356 | $16.95 |
| Yukon | $38,501 | $32,056 | $1,233 | $15.41 |
| British Columbia | $37,960 | $31,627 | $1,216 | $15.21 |
| Ontario | $37,336 | $30,911 | $1,189 | $14.86 |
| Prince Edward Island | $35,984 | $29,470 | $1,133 | $14.17 |
| Northwest Territories | $35,776 | $30,238 | $1,163 | $14.54 |
| Nova Scotia | $35,360 | $28,706 | $1,104 | $13.80 |
| Quebec | $34,528 | $28,153 | $1,083 | $13.53 |
| Manitoba | $34,112 | $28,082 | $1,080 | $13.50 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $34,008 | $28,109 | $1,081 | $13.51 |
| New Brunswick | $33,072 | $27,370 | $1,053 | $13.16 |
| Saskatchewan | $32,656 | $27,597 | $1,061 | $13.27 |
| Alberta | $31,200 | $26,989 | $1,038 | $12.98 |
In Ontario (full Ontario guide), the new $17.95 rate works out to $37,336 a year full-time, or about $30,911 after tax — roughly $1,189 every two weeks. The October increase adds about $728 a year before tax.
Take-home pay is estimated for an employee with only employment income and basic credits. Low-income credits and benefits like the GST/HST credit and the Canada Workers Benefit can add to what you actually keep at tax time.
Which province has the highest minimum wage?
Nunavut has the highest minimum wage in Canada at $20.17 an hour, reflecting the high cost of living in the North. Among the provinces, British Columbia is highest at $18.25, followed by Ontario at $17.95. Yukon is second-highest overall at $18.51.
Alberta has the lowest general minimum wage at $15.00 an hour. Unlike most provinces, Alberta does not raise its rate automatically each year. Saskatchewan ($15.70) and New Brunswick ($15.90) round out the bottom three.
How minimum wage increases work in Canada
Most provinces and territories now tie their minimum wage to inflation, using the Consumer Price Index. The new rate is usually announced several months ahead, and takes effect on a fixed date:
- April 1: federal, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon
- May 1: Quebec (set by the government each year)
- June 1: British Columbia
- September 1: Northwest Territories, Nunavut
- October 1: Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
The federal minimum wage only applies to federally regulated employers — banks, airlines, railways, telecoms, postal services and similar. Everyone else is covered by their province or territory. If a provincial rate is higher than the federal rate, federally regulated employers in that province must pay the higher one.
When is the next minimum wage increase?
The next scheduled change is in Prince Edward Island, where the minimum wage rises to $17.60 on April 1, 2027. The federal rate will be indexed again on April 1, 2027, and New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Yukon usually adjust on the same date.
Ontario announces its next rate by April 1 each year, and it takes effect on October 1. We'll update this guide as each 2027 rate is announced.
What employers need to do
- Update payroll from the effective date. If a pay period spans October 1, pay the old rate for hours before the 1st and the new rate from the 1st onward.
- Check vacation and stat holiday pay. Both are based on wages earned, so they go up automatically with the new rate.
- Review salaried staff near the minimum. Divide salary by hours actually worked to make sure the effective hourly rate is still at or above the new minimum.
- Watch your source deductions. Higher pay means slightly more CPP, EI and income tax withheld — and higher employer CPP and EI contributions.