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Beginning April 1, the minimum wage across the country will rise to $18.15 per hour.
The previous minimum wage was $17.75 per hour.
In a news release, Employment and Social Development Canada said the boost is meant to keep up with inflation and provide “greater certainty and security to more Canadians.”
“Keeping the minimum wage up to date helps maintain a reliable baseline that strengthens earnings and keeps workplace standards strong for all workers,” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families.
The federal minimum wage is adjusted annually on April 1 based on Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index of the previous calendar year, which rose 2.1% in 2025, and rounded up to the nearest $0.05.
Employers in federally regulated private sectors are required to adjust their payrolls to ensure their employees are paid at least $18.15 per hour starting April 1, 2026.
Should the provincial or territorial minimum wage rate exceed the federal rate, federally regulated employers must pay their employees the higher of the two.
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