Alberta’s unchanged minimum wage of $15.00 an hour will fall to the lowest in the country on Oct. 1, as several provinces boost their hourly rates, according to the Retail Council of Canada.
That day, Manitoba will increase its minimum wage from $15.80 to $16.00. Nova Scotia will raise its rate from $15.70 to $16.50, after an earlier April increase, before returning to its legislated formula of inflation plus one per cent. Ontario will move from $17.20 to $17.60, following its annual inflation adjustment. Prince Edward Island will rise from $16.00 to $16.50. Saskatchewan will increase its rate from $15.00 to $15.35.
Other provinces and territories made adjustments earlier this year. On April 1, New Brunswick set its wage at $15.65. Newfoundland and Labrador moved to $16.00, with future adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index. Nova Scotia went to $15.70 ahead of its October increase. Yukon rose to $17.94, with adjustments each April tied to inflation.
Quebec set its rate at $16.10 on May 1.
On June 1, British Columbia moved to $17.85, consistent with the annual increase in the province’s consumer price index for December 2024.
On Sept. 1, the Northwest Territories raised its wage to $16.95, using a formula based on Yellowknife’s consumer price index and the average hourly wage in the territory. On the same date, Nunavut set the highest in Canada at $19.75.
Alberta’s minimum wage has been frozen at $15.00 since 2018, according to Alberta Employment Standards. The province also has a job creation student wage of $13.00 an hour for workers under 18. That reduced rate applies to the first 28 hours a week when school is in session and to all regular hours when school is not in session. Employers must pay $15.00 an hour for additional hours, though they can choose to pay more.
Employers in Alberta may also deduct up to $3.35 per meal consumed and $4.41 per day for lodging, with written authorization from the employee. These deductions can legally reduce an employee’s take-home pay below the minimum wage.
By the time the October increases take effect, Alberta will stand alone at $15.00 an hour, the lowest provincial or territorial minimum wage in the country.
Nunavut’s rate of $19.75 will be the highest.
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