Six out of ten provinces in Canada will increase their regional minimum wage rates in October 2023.
At the start of this month, Canada’s federal minimum wage increased from $15.55 to $16.65. Before that around 26,000 working Canadians were earning less than $15.55 per hour, according to the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
Therefore, it was a move that had a substantial impact. It seems more than half of Canadian provinces will increase their minimum wage rates to match the federal minimum wage increase.
The increase in regional minimum wage rates is expected to start from the first of October.
After the increase, the minimum wage rates will be as follows:
- Ontario: $16.55 per hour
- Manitoba: $15.30 per hour
- Saskatchewan: $14.00 per hour
- Nova Scotia: $15.00 per hour
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $15.00 per hour
- Prince Edward Island (PEI): $15.00 per hour
It is interesting to note that Saskatchewan has already stated that it will further increase its minimum wage rate to $15.00 per hour as of October 2024.
What The Provincial Minimum Wage Changes Mean For New Canadian Immigrants
Craig Pickthorne is the communications coordinator at the Ontario Living Wage Network. According to him, there are three groups that are at the bottom of the wage barrel.
These groups include equity-seeking groups, immigrants, and women.
He says that the federal minimum wage rate increase that happened earlier in the month will only affect people in federally regulated jobs. Therefore, the raising of regional minimum wage rates will greatly benefit new Canadian immigrants.
