Canada minimum wage 2026: Five provinces increase hourly rates, workers say it's not enough

Five Canadian provinces have increased their minimum wages from October 1, 2026. Ontario, Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have all increased their minimum wages. The latest increases mean minimum-wage workers across almost all of Canada will see higher statutory pay this year. Alberta remains the exception among the provinces, with its minimum wage unchanged at $15 an hour.

Canada minimum wage 2026: How much are workers getting?

In Ontario, minimum wage have been hiked by 35 cent to $17.95 an hour. P.E.I. raised the minimum wage to $17.30 an hour, Nova Scotia to $17 an hour, and in Manitoba to $16.40 an hour. Minimum wage remains second lowest in Saskatchewan at $15.70 an hour, up from $15.35. Alberta is the only province with the lowest minimum wage in Canada, at $15 an hour. At the federal level, Nunavut has the highest minimum wage in Canada, at $19.75.

The increase comes as Canadian workers continue to face higher expenses for housing, food and transportation.

'Not Enough'

Meanwhile, worker advocates say the new rate remains well below what is needed to cover basic living expenses. Anne Coleman, executive director of the Ontario Living Wage Network, told CBC that the living wage in the Greater Toronto Area has reached $27.20 an hour. That is $9.25 higher than Ontario's new minimum wage.

Coleman said rent and food are among the biggest components of living-wage calculations and that these costs can rise faster than overall inflation. She also pointed to increasing food insecurity among workers who are struggling to decide how to allocate limited income between food, transportation and other bills.

Deena Ladd, executive director of the Workers' Action Centre, criticised the size of the Ontario increase. Ladd said a 35-cent hourly increase does little to address the province's affordability problems. She pointed to the cost of housing, noting that even a two-bedroom apartment can cost more than $2,100. Ladd has previously advocated for Ontario's minimum wage to reach $20 an hour.

She also argued that higher wages could benefit small businesses by giving workers more disposable income to spend in their local communities.