Canadians in several provinces will see an increase in the minimum wage this year. Here are the provinces that are set to adopt changes:
British Columbia
On the west coast, workers in B.C. will see minimum wage increase to $17.40 per hour on June 1. Currently the minimum wage is set at $16.75, constituting a 3.9 percent increase, which is consistent with B.C.’s average rate of inflation in 2023, according to a government news release.In 2023, the B.C. government raised the minimum wage 6.9 percent, in line with the 2022 rate of inflation. Workers saw their hourly pay go from $15.65 to $16.75.
New Brunswick
Workers in New Brunswick will see the minimum wage increase to $15.30 per hour starting on April 1. The wage was increased in April 2023 to $14.75 from $13.75 since October 2022.Special minimum wage rates are available for those in government construction jobs and those who work at residential summer camps, the province said.
New Brunswick also has a minimum overtime wage rate, which is $22.13, and that will increase to $22.95 in April.
Employees who work over 44 hours a week are required to receive at least one and one-half times the minimum wage for each additional hour.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Workers in Newfoundland and Labrador will see the minimum wage go up to $15.60 per hour. It currently sits at $15 per hour.The province says that regulations require the minimum wage to change on April 1 each year. The increase is dependent upon the National Consumer Price Index.
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Minimum wage in the province has gone up two times a year since 2020, when employees were earning $11.65, according to Government of Canada data.
Yukon
In the Yukon, the minimum wage will increase by 4.9 percent, from $16.77 per hour to $17.59 per hour in April. The increase is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Whitehorse, according to a government media release.Nearly three percent of workers in the territory earn minimum wage, according to government data.
Nova Scotia
In April, workers in Nova Scotia will see a $0.20 increase per hour for those earning minimum wage. Currently, employees earn $15 per hour, which will go up to $15.20.The formula for calculating how much the minimum wage will increase was recommended by a review committee, a government release said.
It will be adjusted by the national CPI plus one percentage point from the rate set the previous April. For 2024, it means a 4.7 percent increase from 2023’s rate.
In Nova Scotia, about 6 percent of workers earn minimum wage, and the majority work in retail, food, and accommodation industries.
Prince Edward Island
Two wage increases are planned for P.E.I. this year, the government says.In April, the minimum wage will increase from $15 to $15.40 per hour and in October it will increase to $16 per hour.
In 2023, workers also saw two wage increases, starting with an $0.80 increase in January from $13.70 to $14.50 per hour. The second increase was in October, which saw the minimum wage rise to $15 per hour.
Saskatchewan
Workers in Saskatchewan will have to wait until October to see the minimum wage increase to $15 per hour. Currently it is $14.00.The government says that some workers are not required to be paid the minimum wage, including farm workers, athletes, babysitters, and those who have a physical or mental disability and work for a non-profit.
The national minimum wage saw a 6.8 percent hike in April 2023, an increase from $15.55 per hour to $16.65 per hour.
This wage applies to private sectors that are regulated by the government, such as banks, postal workers, courier services, and those in the air, rail, road, and marine transportation industries.
