As an employer, there are many decisions that you’ll have to make when it comes to hiring and paying your employees. Minimum wage, AKA the lowest hourly pay rate that an employer can pay an employee? That’s not one of them.
In Canada, minimum wage by province or territory falls under the domain of the province or territory in question. In other words? It’s up to the province or territory to set and enforce these rates based on labour legislation.
All you as the employer have to do is know those minimum wage amounts and make sure you’re paying your employees at least that much for the work they do for you.
Depending on your business, you’ll also want to keep Canada’s federal minimum wage in mind as well. This amount, currently $17.75 as of April 2025, applies to federally regulated employees, such as postal workers, bank workers, and so on. Although, if the provincial or territorial minimum wage is higher than the federal amount, pay your employee the provincial or territorial minimum instead.
Table of minimum wage rates.
Here’s a handy table to guide you on the current minimum wage amounts by province or territory. In some cases, we even know when the next increase will occur and what the new rate will be at that time!
Each province or territory is also linked to the relevant provincial or territorial labour department for further reference.
| Province/Territory | Current Minimum Wage | Next Increase Date |
| Alberta | $15.00
(Under 18 and ≤ 28 hr/week $13.00) | |
| British Columbia | $17.85 | June 1 of each year |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | |
| Ontario | $17.60 (Students $16.60) | Confirmed until September 30, 2026 |
| Québec | $16.10 (Tipped Employees $12.90) | $16.60, May 1, 2026 |
| New Brunswick | $15.65 | |
| Nova Scotia | $16.50 | $16.75, April 1 2026 $17.00, Oct 1 2026 |
| Prince Edward Island | $16.50 | $17.00, April 1 2026 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00 | |
| Northwest Territories | $16.95 | |
| Yukon | $17.94 | April 1 of each year |
| Nunavut | $19.75 |
Please read CRA’s Current and Forthcoming General Minimum Wage Rates in Canada for full list.
Never miss important payroll dates with our Canadian Small Business Payroll Calendar, updated for 2026.
The advice we share on our blog and in our webinars is intended to be informational. It does not replace the expertise of working with accredited business professionals.
