Minimum wage in Canada by province and territory

Checked against official sources on November 5, 2026. Covers: Canada: all 10 provinces, 3 territories and the federal rate. General adult hourly rates in Canadian dollars, with selected special rates.

Canada has 14 minimum wages: one for each province and territory, plus a federal rate for federally regulated jobs. As of November 5, 2026, the highest is Nunavut at $20.17 an hour and the lowest is Alberta at $15.00. The federal rate is $18.15. Your rate depends on where you work and who regulates your employer.

Current minimum wage in each province and territory

Highest to lowest. Rates are general hourly rates for adult workers before tax, in Canadian dollars.

General minimum wage, checked November 5, 2026
Where you work	Hourly rate	In effect since	Next change
Nunavut^*	$20.17	Sep 1, 2026	Set each year by Sep 1, never lowered
Yukon^*	$18.51	Apr 1, 2026	Each April 1, by inflation
British Columbia	$18.25	Jun 1, 2026	Each June 1, by BC inflation
Federal (federally regulated jobs)	$18.15	Apr 1, 2026	Each April 1, by inflation
Ontario	$17.95	Oct 1, 2026	Each October 1, by inflation
Prince Edward Island^*	$17.30	Oct 1, 2026	$17.60 on Apr 1, 2027
Northwest Territories	$17.20	Sep 1, 2026	Each September 1, never lowered
Nova Scotia	$17.00	Oct 1, 2026	Not stated on the official page
Quebec^*	$16.60	May 1, 2026	Not announced
Manitoba	$16.40	Oct 1, 2026	Not stated on the official page
Newfoundland and Labrador	$16.35	Apr 1, 2026	Each April 1, by inflation
New Brunswick	$15.90	Apr 1, 2026	Each April 1, by NB inflation
Saskatchewan	$15.70	Oct 1, 2026	Usually announced by June 30, starts Oct 1
Alberta	$15.00	Not stated on the official page	None announced

* The official page blocked direct reading on November 5, 2026. The figure comes from that government site's own listing. Confirm it on the linked page before relying on it.

Which minimum wage applies to you

Most jobs follow the rate of the province or territory where you do the work. Federally regulated jobs follow the federal rate instead. These include banks, airlines, interprovincial trucking, railways, telecom companies and federal Crown corporations.

If you work in a federally regulated job and your province or territory has a higher rate, you get the higher rate. Source: Government of Canada.

Special rates: students, tipped workers and gig workers

Students under 18

Ontario: $16.90 an hour for students under 18 who work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or during school breaks. Ontario
Alberta: $13.00 an hour for students under 18 for their first 28 hours a week while school is in session, and $13.00 when school is out. Alberta

Tipped workers

Quebec: $13.30 an hour for eligible tipped employees in restaurants (not fast food), bars, meal delivery and tourist accommodation. CNESST
British Columbia: liquor servers get the general minimum wage. There is no lower tipped rate. BC
Ontario: tips are not wages. Your employer must pay at least minimum wage before tips and cannot keep your tips, except for legal tip pools and a few allowed deductions. Ontario

App delivery and ride-hail workers

British Columbia: $21.89 per hour of engaged time, plus $0.35 per km for delivery (not walking) or $0.45 per km for ride-hail. BC

Other special rates

Ontario homeworkers: $19.70 an hour. Ontario
Alberta salespersons: $598 a week. Alberta
BC live-in camp leaders: $145.64 a day. BC live-in home support workers: $135.88 a day. BC

When minimum wage goes up

Most places raise the rate once a year by inflation. The federal rate, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Yukon change on April 1. British Columbia changes on June 1. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut change on September 1. Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba changed on October 1 in 2026.

Alberta's official page does not describe a regular increase. Check the source links in the table for each place's rule.

Pay for short shifts

Saskatchewan: if you report for work, you get at least 3 hours of pay. Saskatchewan
Nova Scotia: if you are called in outside your regular hours, you get at least 3 hours at minimum wage, which is $51. Nova Scotia

What to do if you are paid less

Compare your hourly pay with the rate for where you work, using the table above.
Count every hour you worked, including training your employer required.
Ask your employer in writing to correct the pay. Keep a copy.
If it is not fixed, contact the employment standards office for your province or territory, linked in the table. Federally regulated workers contact the federal Labour Program.

Common questions

Which minimum wage applies if I work for a bank, airline or trucking company?

These are usually federally regulated, so the federal rate of $18.15 an hour applies. If your province or territory has a higher rate, you get the higher one. Source

When does the federal minimum wage change?

Every April 1. It rises by the previous year's inflation (consumer price index). Source

Which province has the highest minimum wage?

Nunavut, at $20.17 an hour since September 1, 2026. Among provinces, British Columbia is highest at $18.25. Source

Which province has the lowest minimum wage?

Alberta, at $15.00 an hour. Source

What is the minimum wage in Ontario?

$17.95 an hour since October 1, 2026. Students under 18 working limited hours can be paid $16.90. Source

Do tips count toward minimum wage in Ontario?

No. Tips are not wages. Your employer must pay at least minimum wage before tips and cannot keep your tips, except for legal tip pools and a few allowed deductions. Source

Is there a lower minimum wage for tipped workers?

In Quebec, yes: $13.30 an hour for eligible tipped employees. In British Columbia, no: liquor servers get the general rate. Source

Can a student under 18 be paid less than minimum wage?

In Ontario, students under 18 working 28 hours a week or less during school, or during breaks, can be paid $16.90. In Alberta, students under 18 can be paid $13.00 for their first 28 hours a week while school is in session. Source

Do app delivery drivers get minimum wage?

In British Columbia, yes: $21.89 per hour of engaged time plus a per-kilometre amount. Rules differ in other provinces. Source

If I am paid by the piece or by commission, am I still owed minimum wage?

In Nova Scotia, yes. Piecework earnings must at least equal minimum wage for the hours you worked. Check your province's employment standards page for its rule. Source

Sources

Official government pages, checked November 5, 2026. Rules change, so confirm details on the source before you act.

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