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Minimum wage in Canada

Set region by region, no single national rate

Canada has no single national minimum wage. Each province and territory sets its own, and the federal rate covers only the small share of workers in federally regulated industries.

Canada has no single national figure. The rate set by each province and territory is in the table below, and ranges from 15.00 to 20.17 Canadian dollars an hour.

The rate in each province and territory

These are the general minimum wage rates stated by each provincial and territorial government in 2026, in Canadian dollars per hour. Each row links to that government's own page. Rates change every year, on different dates, so confirm the current rate on the official page before relying on it.

Province or territoryGeneral rateIn force sinceSource
OntarioStudents under 18 working up to 28 hours a week while school is in session: 16.90. Homeworkers: 19.70. Raised each year in line with inflation, announced by 1 April.17.95 CAD per hour1 October 2026Official page
QuebecEmployees who regularly receive tips (restaurants, bars, tourist accommodation): 13.30.16.60 CAD per hour1 May 2026Official page
British ColumbiaRaised each 1 June by the province's inflation rate. Online platform workers (app-based gig work): 21.89 per hour of engaged time plus an expense allowance.18.25 CAD per hour1 June 2026Official page
AlbertaStudents under 18: 13.00 for the first 28 hours a week while school is in session. Alberta has the lowest general rate in Canada.15 CAD per hourno change announcedOfficial page
Manitoba16.40 CAD per hour1 October 2026Official page
SaskatchewanRaised each 1 October by a formula using inflation and average wages.15.70 CAD per hour1 October 2026Official page
Nova Scotia17 CAD per hour1 October 2026Official page
New BrunswickRaised each 1 April in line with the province's inflation rate.15.90 CAD per hour1 April 2026Official page
Prince Edward Island17 CAD per hour1 April 2026Official page
Newfoundland and LabradorRaised each 1 April in line with inflation.16.35 CAD per hour1 April 2026Official page
YukonRaised each 1 April in line with inflation in Whitehorse.18.51 CAD per hour1 April 2026Official page
Northwest TerritoriesRaised each 1 September by a formula using inflation and average wages.17.20 CAD per hour1 September 2026Official page
NunavutThe highest rate in Canada. Raised each 1 September by a formula using inflation and average wages.20.17 CAD per hour1 September 2026Official page
Federal (employers regulated by the federal government)Only for employees in federally regulated industries such as banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transport. Where a province's rate is higher, the higher rate applies.18.15 CAD per hour1 April 2026Official page

Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Check the date. Minimum wages change, in many countries every year. The figure above is the one in force at the date shown. Confirm the current amount with the official source below before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.

Who sets it

Each province and territory sets its general minimum wage by law or regulation. The federal government sets a minimum for employees of federally regulated industries such as banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transport.

How it changes

Most provinces and territories review their rate every year, and many change it on a fixed date such as 1 April or 1 October. The federal rate is adjusted each year on 1 April in line with inflation, and where a province or territory has a higher rate, the higher rate applies.

Who is covered, and who is treated differently

  • Some provinces set different rates for particular groups, for example for students or for workers who receive tips.
  • A worker is covered by the province where the work is done, or by the federal rate if the employer is federally regulated.

What to watch for

  • There is no one figure for the country. Find the rate for the province or territory where the work is done.
  • The minimum wage is the legal floor, not typical pay, and the cost of living differs a great deal between provinces and territories.

Understand the legal system first

Canada belongs to the Common law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.

Read the Canada legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Canada with another country →

Official sources

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TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.