Minimum wage in Canada is going up soon but not all workers will get a pay increase
Federal minimum wage is getting closer to $20 an hour.
Canadian $20 bills.
The minimum wage in Canada is increasing soon.
But not all workers in every province and territory will get a pay raise when these new rates come into effect.
That's because the pay bumps apply to certain federal workers and minimum wage employees in some provinces.
Minimum wage increases in April, May and June will bring the hourly wage closer to $20 in a few places.
Employment and Social Development Canada recently announced that the federal minimum wage will increase to $18.15 per hour as of April 1, 2026.
Changes to the federal minimum wage are based on Canada's annual average Consumer Price Index for the previous calendar year and then rounded up to the nearest $0.05.
The CPI went up by 2.1% in 2025, which is why the wage rate is going up now.
But this minimum wage bump only applies to those who work for a federally regulated employer.
Employers in the federally regulated private sector include airlines, airports, banks, postal and courier services, radio and television broadcasters, telecommunications companies, most federal Crown corporations, and others.
According to the government, this annual pay increase has "supported thousands of workers" who have minimum wage jobs across the federally regulated private sector.
Provinces and territories set their own minimum wage standards because the standalone federal minimum wage was only introduced in 2021 and only applies to federally regulated workers.
That means some places in Canada are also increasing the minimum wage rate in the next few months.
As of April 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Yukon will be $18.51 an hour.
Minimum wage will be $15.90 per hour in New Brunswick, $17 per hour in P.E.I., and $16.35 per hour in Newfoundland and Labrador starting on April 1, 2026.
Also, minimum wage in Quebec is rising to $16.60 on May 1, 2026, while minimum wage in B.C. is increasing to $18.25 an hour on June 1, 2026.
Other provinces and territories, including Ontario, are expected to have their annual minimum wage increases later in the year.
Employment and Social Development Canada noted that if the provincial or territorial minimum wage is more than the federal minimum wage, federally regulated employers must pay that higher rate to employees in those locations.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.