Canada's federal minimum wage is increasing soon and these workers are getting a raise
It's higher than most provincial minimum wages! 💸
Canadian coins.
Canada's federal minimum wage is going up and that means some workers are set to get a raise soon!
This increase to the minimum wage will make the hourly rate higher than what's paid out in most provinces.
Here's what you need to know about it, including what the federal minimum wage in Canada is, who gets federal minimum wage, and what the federal minimum wage increase is for 2024.
Each year, the federal minimum wage is looked at to see if an increase is needed to account for inflation.
Federal minimum wage increases are based on the Consumer Price Index for the previous year.
Starting on April 1, 2024, the federal minimum wage is $17.30 per hour — and no, it's not an April Fools' Day joke.
That's an increase of $0.65 from the hourly pay rate of $16.65 that was set on April 1, 2023.
It also makes the federal wage one of the highest pay rates in Canada!
If the minimum wage set by the province or territory you're employed in is more than the federal minimum wage, you'll get paid the provincial or territorial rate.
As of April 1, the provincial and territorial minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage only in Yukon — $17.59 per hour — and Nunavut — $19 an hour.
But as of June 1, B.C.'s minimum wage will also be higher than the federal minimum wage since it'll be $17.40 per hour.
That means federal minimum wage workers in every other province and territory will get a raise on April 1.
Federal minimum wage applies to workers covered by Part III of the Canada Labour Code. This includes employees in federally regulated industries, federally regulated private sectors and federal Crown corporations.
Federally regulated industries and private sectors are:
- air transportation — including airlines, airports, aerodromes and aircraft operations
- banks — including authorized foreign banks
- grain elevators, feed and seed mills, feed warehouses and grain-seed cleaning plants
- First Nations band councils and Indigenous self-governments
- most federal Crown corporations — including Canada Post
- port services, marine shipping, ferries, tunnels, canals, bridges and pipelines that cross international or provincial borders
- postal and courier services
- radio and television broadcasting
- railways that cross provincial or international borders and some short-line railways
- road transportation services — including trucks and buses, that cross provincial or international borders
- telecommunications — including telephone, internet, telegraph and cable systems
- uranium mining and processing and atomic energy
- any business that is vital, essential or integral to the operation of one of the above activities
Provincial and territorial minimum wage will also be increased on April 1 in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon — bringing the territory's hourly pay rate above federal minimum wage.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.