The minimum wage in Canada varies for each province and territory. Each province and territory in Canada has its labor law and legislation, which determines the lowest wage rate an employer can pay to an employee.
Under the Constitution of Canada, each of the ten provinces and three territories have the responsibility to enact and enforce labor laws, including minimum wage, employee rights, and working conditions, minimum work age, trade unions, overtime rules, etc.
The minimum wage in Canada is the minimum payment employers can legally pay their employees whether they work full- or part-time.
As job seekers and employees, it is important to remain fully aware of the minimum wage in Canada 2022 as you seek employment in a job role. This article covers the most recent minimum wage in Canada’s ten provinces and three territories for 2022.
What is the Federal Minimum Wage in Canada
Currently, the federal minimum wage in Canada is $15.55 per hour. This federal minimum wage only applies to Canadians who work in federally-regulated sectors such as banks, Federal Crown Corporations, postal services, etc.
However, if you work in any federally-regulated sector and the federal minimum age is lower than the provincial minimum wage, the higher provincial minimum wage rate will continue to apply.
The provincial minimum wage applies to you if you work in any industry that the Federal Government does not regulate. Here’s a quick look at the minimum wage rate in provinces and territories in Canada.
Province | Minimum Wage | Most Recent Change |
Alberta | $15.00 | October 1, 2018 |
British Columbia | $15.65 | June 1, 2022 |
Manitoba | $11.95 | October 1, 2018 |
New Brunswick | $12.75 | April 1, 2022 |
Newfoundland & Labrador | $13.20 | April 1, 2022 |
Northwest territories | $15.20 | September 1, 2021 |
Nova Scotia | $13.55 | April 1, 2022 |
Nunavut | $16.00 | April 1, 2022 |
Ontario | $15.00 | January 1, 2022 |
Prince Edward Island | $13.70 | April 1, 2022 |
Quebec | $14.25 | May 1, 2022 |
Saskatchewan | $11.81 | October 1, 2021 |
Yukon | $15.70 | April 1, 2022 |
Minimum Wage in Alberta 2022
The hourly minimum wage in Alberta is $15.00. This became effective as of October 1, 2018; Alberta was the first province to mandate a $15.00 per hour minimum wage.
The minimum wage in Alberta generally applies to most employees and should be paid by employers to their workers. Students under 18 in Alberta receive an alternative minimum wage of $13.00 per hour when working for 28 hours or less.
Specific jobs are exempted from the minimum wage rate in Alberta. Salespersons, including land agents and certain professionals, earn $598 per week, while domestic employees who live in their employer’s home earn $2,848 as the minimum wage in Canada per month.
Real estate brokers, securities salespersons, students in a work experience program, extras in film production, etc., are all exempted from the minimum wage standards.
You can read more on the minimum wage for the province of Alberta.
Minimum Wage in British Columbia 2022
The minimum wage in British Columbia is $15.65 per hour, effective as of June 1, 2022. BC was the third Canadian province to offer a minimum wage rate of $15.00 and above.
The provincial government is following through on its 2020 commitment to tie the minimum wage in British Columbia to the increasing inflation rate. The Government is committed to making life more affordable for its residents.
While the new minimum wage applies to every worker in the province, there are exemptions for some workers.
Employees who serve liquor earn the regular $15.65, live-in home support workers earn a daily rate of $113.50 and resident caretakers earn a minimum monthly wage based on the number of suites in the apartment building.
Minimum Wage in Manitoba 2022
The minimum wage in Manitoba is $11.95 per hour, effective as of October 1, 2021. It was increased by $0.5 from the $11.90.
Manitoba has the second-lowest minimum wage in Canada’s provinces and territories. Increases in the minimum wage in Manitoba depend on the province’s Consumer Price Index.
However, there’s an expected increase in the minimum wage to $12.35 on October 1, 2022.
While the minimum wage of $11.95 applies to all workers, there are some exceptions. Domestic workers are not entitled to minimum wage if the work less than 12 hours.
The minimum wage for employees in the heavy construction sector depends on the job classification. Flat-rate mechanics who receive incentives and commission salespeople earn at least minimum wage each day.
Minimum Wage in New Brunswick 2022
The minimum hourly wage in New Brunswick is $12.75, effective as of April 1, 2022. There is an expected increase to $13.75 per hour on October 1, 2022.
This increase is partially linked to the province’s Consumer Price Index and will move New Brunswick from having the lowest minimum wage rate to having the highest in the Maritime provinces.
There are special minimum wage rates for certain categories of employees in government construction work like road, bridge, and building construction.
Counselors and program staff at residential summer camps also earn a minimum wage.
Minimum Wage in Newfoundland and Labrador 2022
The minimum wage for hourly work in Newfoundland and Labrador is $13.20, effective as of April 1, 2022.
It was increased by $0.45 from $12.75, and there are chances of additional future increases to be announced during the spring.
However, the overtime wage rate in Newfoundland and Labrador doesn’t apply to some farm employees.
Live-in housekeepers or babysitters are exempted from the minimum wage where there is an arrangement for the employee to get time-off with pay for hours they have worked over 40 hours per week.
Minimum Wage in the Northwest Territories 2022
The minimum hourly wage in the Northwest Territories is $15.20, effective as of September 1, 2021.
The increase from $13.46 was the first in 3 years, and the provincial government says the increase will create a balance between fair wages and supporting small businesses.
However, the minimum wages from the NWT’s Employment Standards Act do not apply to students employed in work programs as part of their studies.
Minimum Wage in Nova Scotia 2022
The minimum hourly wage in Nova Scotia is $13.35, effective as of April 1, 2022. An increase to $13.60 is expected in the province on October 1, 2022. The province is on the path to a $15 minimum wage by 2024.
However, some workers like real estate agents, fishing employees, insurance agents, car salespeople, summer camp counselors, some farmhands, and domestic workers, are all exempted from the minimum wage in Nova Scotia.
Minimum Wage in Nunavut 2022
The minimum wage in Nunavut is $16, effective as of April 1, 2022. Nunavut has the highest minimum wage in Canada’s provinces and territories.
Though it has the highest hourly minimum wage, it has one of the highest living costs. The territorial government plans for additional minimum wage increases starting this spring as the territory’s Consumer Price Index hits a 30-year high.
However, the minimum wage in Nunavut does not apply to trappers and individuals employed in commercial fisheries.
Minimum Wage in Ontario 2022
The hourly minimum wage in Ontario is $15.00, effective as of January 1, 2022. There is an expected increase to $15.50 on October 1, 2022. The increase in Ontario’s minimum wage is tied to the province’s Consumer Price Index.
In Ontario, some employees have a minimum wage different from the general minimum.
Students under 18 who work for 28 hours or less per week will get a minimum wage of $14.10 per hour, while homemakers will get $16.50 per hour.
The provincial government eliminated the special minimum wage for liquor servers on January 1, 2022.
Minimum Wage in Prince Edward Island 2022
The minimum hourly wage in Prince Edward Island is $13.70, effective as of April 1, 2022. The province has the highest minimum wage rate in the Maritimes region.
The minimum wage in PEI is linked to the province’s Consumer Price Index. It recently increased by $0.70 from the $13.00.
Minimum Wage in Quebec 2022
The minimum wage in Quebec is $14.25 per hour, effective as of May 1, 2022. This is a $0.75 increase from the $13.50 minimum wage rate in 2021.
The special minimum wage for workers who receive tips is $11.40, an increase of $0.60 from the $10.80 per hour.
Employees who pick strawberries earn a minimum wage of $1.13 per kilogram, while those who pick raspberries earn $4.23 per kilogram.
Minimum Wage in Saskatchewan 2022
The minimum wage in Saskatchewan is $11.81 per hour, effective as of October 1, 2021. Saskatchewan has the lowest minimum wage in Canada’s provinces and territories.
Saskatchewan ties its minimum wage increases to the province’s Consumer Price Index. There is an expected increase in the minimum wage rate to $13.00 per hour by October 1, 2022.
However, some employees like farming, ranching or market garden laborers, babysitters, care providers in private homes, etc., do not have to be paid the minimum wage.
Live-in care providers earn at least the minimum wage for the first 8 hours of the day’s work. Employees can negotiate any additional hours.
Minimum Wage in Yukon 2022
The minimum wage rate for Yukon is $15.70 per hour, effective as of April 1, 2022.
The increase in the minimum wage in Yukon is tied to the increased Consumer Price Index, comparisons with other jurisdictions, and its impact on the province’s economy.
The provincial government has a fair wage schedule which sets the wage rates for employees on the Government of Yukon public work contracts.
Final Thoughts on Minimum Wage in Canada
The minimum wage in Canada is different for each province and territory.
Some provinces and territories have already scheduled and announced increases in their minimum wage for 2022.
As a job seeker, you should pay attention to the minimum wage increases as you seek employment in any job role or field of your choosing.
FAQs on Minimum Wage in Canada
What is the minimum wage in Canada for International Students
The minimum wage is determined by each province. There are no separate minimum wage rates for international students. The minimum wage received by employees in all the provinces in also received by international students.
Alberta = $15
British Columbia = $14.65
Manitoba = $11.95
New Brunswick = $12.75
Newfoundland & Labrador = $13.20
Northwest Territories = $15.20
Nova Scotia = $13.55
Nunavut = $16
Ontario = $15
Prince Edward Island = $13.70
Quebec = $14.25
Saskatchewan = $11.81
Yukon = $15.70
Hi, I'm Adeola Adegoke. I am a licensed Insurance Broker in Manitoba, and I hold a master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences (with a major in Financial Modeling) from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Tanzania.
Also, I have a second master's degree in Statistics from the University of Regina, and I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Manitoba.
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