Minimum wage is going up across Canada soon — but one province is getting left behind
It could mean a raise of over $1,600 a year! 💸
Five provinces are getting minimum wage increases in October 2025.
Heads up, Canada — minimum wage is about to rise again in several provinces, and if you're earning hourly, that could mean a bigger paycheque in just a few weeks.
Whether you're a full-time student, a seasonal worker, or someone grinding 40 hours a week, these changes could add hundreds of dollars to your yearly income starting in October 2025 for those in some of the most common — and essential — jobs in Canada.
Five provinces have confirmed new minimum wage increases on October 1, giving workers across Canada a long-awaited raise and leaving just one single province without a wage bump at all in 2025.
Depending on where you live, the increases range from 20 cents all the way up to 80 cents an hour, meaning some full-time employees will soon be pocketing over $1,600 more per year.
Which provinces are getting a raise?
Five provinces are set to boost their minimum wages on October 1. Depending on where you live, the increase ranges from a modest 1.3% to a respectable 5.1%.
Here's the province-by-province breakdown:
- Saskatchewan — increasing from $15.00 to $15.35/hour (up 2.3%)
- Manitoba — increasing from $15.80 to $16.00/hour (up 1.3%)
- P.E.I. — increasing from $16.00 to $16.50/hour (up 3.1%)
- Nova Scotia — increasing from $15.70 to $16.50/hour (up 5.1%)
- Ontario — increasing from $17.20 to $17.60/hour (up 2.3%)
For a full-time worker putting in 40 hours a week, that could mean anywhere from $400 to more than $1,600 extra each year, before taxes.
Earlier 2025 increases you might've missed
These minimum wage hikes follow a wave of increases across Canada earlier this year, rounding out most of the remaining provinces that hadn't seen an increase yet.
If you missed the updates, here's a quick recap:
- Federal (federal government and federally regulated industries) — up to $17.75/hour as of April 1
- New Brunswick — $15.65/hour since April 1
- Newfoundland — $16.00/hour since April 1
- Nova Scotia — getting its second increase of 2025 next month after already increasing from $15.20 to $15.70 on April 1
- Yukon — $17.94/hour since April 1
- Quebec — $16.10/hour since May 1
- B.C. — $17.85/hour since June 1 (highest among provinces)
- Northwest Territories — jumped to $16.95/hour just this week, on September 1
- Nunavut — $19.75/hour since September 1 (highest in Canada overall)
One province is left behind
Once Saskatchewan's increase kicks in, Alberta will officially have the lowest minimum wage in the country, sitting unchanged at $15.00/hour since 2018.
That also means Alberta will be the only province or territory in Canada not to see an increase in 2025 — and the government hasn't shown any plans to bump it anytime soon, either.
How much more money are we talking?
Let’s do a little math. A $0.50-per-hour raise means about $20 more per week for someone working 40 hours. That adds up to just over $1,000 per year — not exactly life-changing, but it could help with groceries, bills or a few more nights out.
Most provinces tie their increases to inflation, meaning it's less of an actual raise and more of an adjustment to keep up with the rising cost of living. But some spots are seeing even bigger increases that amount to more of a pay bump.
Nova Scotia is seeing the biggest jump this round with an extra $0.80/hour — a 5.1% increase — which works out to roughly $32 more per week or $1,664 more per year for full-timers. Not bad.
P.E.I. is also jumping by $0.50 (3.1%) and already has another increase lined up for April 2026, when the rate will hit $17.00/hour.
Why the increases?
Most of these increases are tied to inflation, using formulas based on the consumer price index or average hourly wages. Others, like Nova Scotia and P.E.I.'s, are part of planned multi-stage increases.
Provincial governments say these adjustments are designed to help workers keep up with the rising cost of living — but with rent, groceries and gas prices staying high across much of the country, it's still tough out there.
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