Minimum wage increases across Canada today — but not for everyone

If you're earning minimum wage in Canada, there's a chance your paycheque just got a little bigger.

As of Tuesday, April 1, a whole slew of minimum wage increases are kicking in across the country. But whether or not you see that bump depends entirely on where you live — and even who you work for.

This Canada minimum wage increase for April 2025 comes at a time when the cost of living is still climbing, with rent, groceries and other essentials putting pressure on workers from coast to coast to coast.

But while some full-time employees could end up with hundreds more dollars this year, others won't see a single cent of difference.

Who's getting a raise today?

The biggest change hitting today is the updated federal minimum wage, which has now risen to $17.75 per hour — up 45 cents from last year's $17.30. This new federal minimum applies to anyone working in a federally regulated industry, like the federal public service, banks, air transportation, postal services and telecoms, regardless of which province or territory they're in.

A full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage now stands to make about $936 more annually. But there's a catch — if your local minimum wage is already higher than $17.75, like in Yukon or Nunavut, the federal rate won't change your pay.

Several provinces and territories are also seeing increases take effect as of today, April 1:

• New Brunswick: $15.65 (up 2.3% from $15.30)
• Newfoundland and Labrador: $16.00 (up 2.6% from $15.60)
• Nova Scotia: $15.70 (up 3.3% from $15.20), with another raise coming October 1
• Yukon: $17.94 (up 2.0% from $17.59)

If you're working in one of these places and earning the provincial minimum, congrats — your wallet should be a little heavier soon!

But not everyone's included

Minimum wage in Canada still varies a lot by region — and not all of them are seeing increases today. Alberta, for instance, hasn't raised its rate since June of 2019. It still sits at $15.00 per hour, making it tied for the lowest in the country with Saskatchewan.

Unlike Alberta, though, Saskatchewan has been adjusting more recently. The province last raised its minimum wage in October 2024, and although nothing's been confirmed yet, another increase could be coming this October.

For many Canadians, the next opportunity for a wage bump won't come until later this year. Here's what's been confirmed so far for upcoming increases:

• Quebec: Increasing from $15.75 to $16.10 on May 1
• B.C.: Increasing from $17.40 to $17.85 on June 1
• Ontario: Increasing from $17.20 to $17.60 on October 1
• Manitoba: Increasing from $15.80 to $16.00 on October 1

Other spots like the Northwest Territories, P.E.I. and Saskatchewan are likely to update their rates in the fall, but details haven't been released yet.

Love this? Check out our Narcity noticeboard for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!

AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of Narcity's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.