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New Minimum Wage In Canada And Canadian Provinces In 2024
In early 2024, a new minimum wage will be introduced in Canada and five Canadian provinces. This change is expected to happen in the first quarter of 2024, based on past adjustments.
What Is Minimum Wage?
The minimum wage in Canada is the lowest amount that employers are legally required to pay their workers. The federal government of Canada sets the minimum wage for federal government agencies across all provinces.
Provincial governments determine their own minimum wages for employees of provincial governments and private businesses within their provinces.
Let’s explore the new minimum wages expected to take effect in five Canadian provinces in or shortly after the first quarter of 2024.
New Minimum Wage in Nunavut
On January 1, 2024, the minimum wage in Nunavut will increase from $16.00 to $19.00 per hour, making it the highest minimum wage in Canada.
The last time Nunavut raised its minimum wage was from $13.00 to $16.00 per hour on April 1, 2020.
New Minimum Wage in Nova Scotia
In 2024, Nova Scotians can anticipate a 4.1% increase in the minimum wage, aligning with the current inflation rate.
Nova Scotia reviews its minimum wage every April 1, considering the inflation rate plus an additional 1%. The expected wage increase is from $15 per hour to around $15.60 per hour, effective April 1, 2024.
New Minimum Wage In Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is set to raise its minimum wage to $15.40 per hour on April 1, 2024, following an increase from $14.50 to $15 per hour on October 1, 2023. Additionally, it will further rise to $16 per hour on October 1, 2024.
New Minimum Wage in Canada for Federally Regulated Sectors
The minimum wage for federally regulated private sectors will be updated on April 1, 2024, based on Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2023.
The current federal minimum wage is $16.65 per hour, revised on April 1, 2023, from $15.55 per hour. The next increase, expected around April 1, 2024, is estimated to be approximately $17.17 per hour, based on a 3.1% CPI reported by Statistics Canada in October 2023.
New Minimum Wage In Yukon
Yukon will increase its minimum wage on April 1, 2024, in alignment with the annual inflation rate.
Presently, Yukon’s minimum wage is $16.77 per hour and is expected to rise to over $17.62 per hour on April 1, 2024.
Minimum Wage for New Brunswick
New Brunswick plans to adjust its minimum wage in 2024 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), following a similar practice from 2023.
Currently, New Brunswick’s minimum wage is $14.75 per hour, raised from $13.75 per hour on April 1, 2023. The new minimum wage is anticipated to reach nearly $15 per hour on April 1, 2024.
New Minimum Wage Increase In Ontario In 2024
Ontario will announce the new minimum wage amount on or before April 1, 2024. However, this change will only take effect on October 1, 2024.
On November 16, 2023, Ontario’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce released his child-care workforce strategy Thursday and announced an increase in the minimum hourly wage for Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs). The increase in minimum wage is $3.86 per hour, raising the wage from $20 to $23.8.
New Minimum Wage Increase In British Columbia
The government of British Columbia is making big changes to make things better for people who work in gig jobs, like driving for ride-hailing or delivering food.
These workers will have a minimum wage that’s 120% of the regular minimum wage. Currently, the minimum wage in British Columbia is $16.75/hour. After the new rules, gig workers will be guaranteed a minimum of $20.1/hour.
This includes people working for Uber Eats, Instacart, SkipTheDishes, and similar businesses. It also covers drivers for Lyft, Coastal Rides, Whistle, and Uber.