The changes will be implemented in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The increase is due to the high cost of living in Canada. Some provinces set wages based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), while others have their own methods.

The minimum wage increases by province:

Ontario: $17.60 per hour (up 40 cents from $17.20)

Prince Edward Island: $16.50 per hour (up 50 cents from $16)

Nova Scotia: $16.50 per hour (up $1.30 this year)

This is the second increase this year. On April 1, the rate was increased from $15.20 to $15.70.
Manitoba: $16 per hour (up 20 cents from $15.80)
Saskatchewan: $15.35 per hour (up 35 cents from $15)
Employers in these provinces will have to adapt to the new standards, which will include changes to payroll systems, employment contracts and job postings, said Charlie Herrera Vacaflor, senior employment law consultant at Peninsula Canada, a human resources consulting firm.

All provinces have increased or are planning to increase their minimum wage this year, except Alberta. As a result, Alberta will have the lowest minimum wage in the country. The province has not changed its minimum wage since 2018, at $15 per hour, and will introduce a separate minimum wage of $13 per hour for students under 18 starting in 2019.

Despite these increases, the cost of living remains a challenge, especially in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver. Residents of these cities would need to earn about $37 an hour, or more than $78,000 a year, to find a one-bedroom apartment “affordable,” according to a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

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