Five provinces raised their general minimum wage on October 1, 2026. If you work an hourly job in Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Saskatchewan, your floor rate just went up.
The raises are small, between 25 and 40 cents an hour. But they add
up over a year, and they also change your overtime rate. This guide shows the new rates, how students are paid, how overtime works in each province, how the rates have moved over the last ten years, and roughly how much tax a full-time minimum wage worker pays.
Source: Government of Canada minimum wage database. Rates are general adult hourly rates in effect October 1, 2026.
The new rates at a glance
| Province | Old rate | New rate (Oct 1, 2026) | Raise | Full-time year* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $17.60 | $17.95 | +$0.35 | $37,336 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $16.40 | +$0.40 | $34,112 |
| Nova Scotia | $16.75 | $17.00 | +$0.25 | $35,360 |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.00 | $17.30 | +$0.30 | $35,984 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | $15.70 | +$0.35 | $32,656 |
*40 hours a week × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours, before tax. Real hours vary.
Ontario is still the highest of the five. Saskatchewan is still the lowest. For context, the federal minimum wage (for banks, airlines, trucking across provinces and other federally regulated jobs) is $18.15, British Columbia is $18.25, and Alberta is still $15.00.
Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan tie their raises to the inflation rate of the year before. That is why they move every October. Nova Scotia and PEI have used two raises a year lately, one in April and one in October. PEI has already set its next step: $17.60 on April 1, 2027.
Ten years of minimum wage in these five provinces
The table below shows the general rate that was in effect on October 1 of each year. It is a simple way to compare the same date year to year.
| Oct 1 | ON | MB | NS | PE | SK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $11.40 | $11.00 | $10.70 | $11.00 | $10.72 |
| 2017 | $11.60 | $11.15 | $10.85 | $11.25 | $10.96 |
| 2018 | $14.00 | $11.35 | $11.00 | $11.55 | $11.06 |
| 2019 | $14.00 | $11.65 | $11.55 | $12.25 | $11.32 |
| 2020 | $14.25 | $11.90 | $12.55 | $12.85 | $11.45 |
| 2021 | $14.35 | $11.95 | $12.95 | $13.00 | $11.81 |
| 2022 | $15.50 | $13.50 | $13.60 | $13.70 | $13.00 |
| 2023 | $16.55 | $15.30 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $14.00 |
| 2024 | $17.20 | $15.80 | $15.20 | $16.00 | $15.00 |
| 2025 | $17.60 | $16.00 | $16.50 | $16.50 | $15.35 |
| 2026 | $17.95 | $16.40 | $17.00 | $17.30 | $15.70 |
Rate in effect on October 1 of each year. Source: Government of Canada minimum wage database.
| Province | 2016 | 2026 | 10-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $11.40 | $17.95 | +57% |
| Manitoba | $11.00 | $16.40 | +49% |
| Nova Scotia | $10.70 | $17.00 | +59% |
| Prince Edward Island | $11.00 | $17.30 | +57% |
| Saskatchewan | $10.72 | $15.70 | +46% |
What the numbers tell you
- Ontario made one big jump. The rate went from $11.60 to $14.00 on January 1, 2018. Then it was frozen until late 2020. It reached $15.00 in January 2022.
- 2022 and 2023 were the fastest years everywhere. High inflation pushed indexed raises up. Manitoba added $1.80 in one year (2022 to 2023), with an extra step in April 2023.
- Nova Scotia and PEI caught up. Ten years ago they were near the bottom. Today PEI pays more than Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia is close behind Ontario.
- Saskatchewan moved slowest for years, then reached $15.00 in October 2024.
Student wages: only Ontario has a separate rate
Of these five provinces, only Ontario has a student minimum wage. In Manitoba, Nova Scotia, PEI and Saskatchewan, a student gets the same general minimum wage as any adult.
| Ontario | Rate from Oct 1, 2026 | Before |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum wage | $17.95 | $17.60 |
| Student minimum wage | $16.90 | $16.60 |
The Ontario student rate applies only if all of these are true:
- The student is under 18.
- During the school year, they work 28 hours a week or less.
- Or they are working during a school break or summer holidays.
Once a student turns 18, the employer must pay at least the general rate of $17.95. A 17-year-old who works more than 28 hours in a school week also gets the general rate for that week.
Overtime pay: the rules are very different
Overtime in all five provinces is paid at 1.5 times the rate. But when overtime starts is not the same. This matters more than the small wage raise if you work long weeks.
| Province | Overtime starts after | Overtime at new minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 44 hours a week | $26.93/hr |
| Manitoba | 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week | $24.60/hr |
| Saskatchewan | 8 hours a day (10 on a 4×10 schedule) or 40 a week | $23.55/hr |
| Nova Scotia | 48 hours a week | $25.50/hr |
| Prince Edward Island | 48 hours a week | $25.95/hr |
Overtime is 1.5 × your regular rate. The last column assumes you earn exactly the new minimum wage.
What this looks like in a real week
Say you work 46 hours in one week at minimum wage.
- Ontario: 44 regular hours + 2 overtime hours. That is 44 × $17.95 + 2 × $26.93 = $843.66.
- Manitoba: 40 regular + 6 overtime. 40 × $16.40 + 6 × $24.60 = $803.60. Daily overtime may add more if any day ran past 8 hours.
- Saskatchewan: 40 regular + 6 overtime. 40 × $15.70 + 6 × $23.55 = $769.30.
- Nova Scotia: no overtime yet, because 46 is under 48. 46 × $17.00 = $782.00.
- PEI: also no overtime. 46 × $17.30 = $795.80.
Details worth knowing
- Manitoba and Saskatchewan count daily overtime. A 10-hour shift can earn 2 hours of overtime even if your week is short. In Saskatchewan, you get whichever count is greater, daily or weekly.
- Ontario has no daily overtime. Only the weekly 44-hour line counts. An employer and employee can agree in writing to average hours over a few weeks, under strict rules.
- Nova Scotia: overtime is 1.5 times your regular wage. Many jobs are exempt or have special rules. Managers and supervisors get overtime at 1.5 times the minimum wage, not their own wage.
- PEI: overtime is 1.5 times your regular wage. With an agreement, you can take banked time off instead of overtime pay.
- Some jobs are exempt in every province, such as certain managers, farm workers and some professionals. If you are not sure, check your province’s employment standards office.
How much tax does a minimum wage worker pay?
Here is an estimate for someone who works 40 hours a week, all year, at the new rate. We used the official 2026 payroll formulas from the Canada Revenue Agency (guide T4127). The estimate covers four deductions: federal income tax, provincial income tax, CPP contributions and EI premiums.
| ON | MB | NS | PE | SK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $37,336 | $34,112 | $35,360 | $35,984 | $32,656 |
| Federal tax | $2,347 | $1,929 | $2,091 | $2,172 | $1,741 |
| Provincial tax | $1,457* | $1,723 | $1,842 | $1,754 | $1,051 |
| CPP | $2,013 | $1,821 | $1,896 | $1,933 | $1,735 |
| EI | $609 | $556 | $576 | $587 | $532 |
| Total deductions | $6,425 | $6,030 | $6,405 | $6,445 | $5,059 |
| Take-home pay | $30,911 | $28,082 | $28,955 | $29,539 | $27,597 |
| Per month | ≈ $2,576 | ≈ $2,340 | ≈ $2,413 | ≈ $2,462 | ≈ $2,300 |
Estimate for 2,080 hours at the October 2026 rate for the full year, single person, basic personal credits only. *Includes the Ontario Health Premium (about $360 at this income).
In short, a full-time minimum wage worker in these provinces keeps roughly 82% to 85% of their pay. About a third of the deductions are CPP and EI, not income tax. CPP goes toward your own future pension.
Part-time example: 25 hours a week
| ON | MB | NS | PE | SK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $23,335 | $21,320 | $22,100 | $22,490 | $20,410 |
| Income tax (fed + prov) | $1,011 | $720 | $1,140 | $995 | $157 |
| CPP + EI | $1,560 | $1,408 | $1,467 | $1,497 | $1,339 |
| Take-home pay | $20,764 | $19,192 | $19,493 | $19,998 | $18,915 |
1,300 hours a year. Same assumptions as above.
At part-time hours, income tax drops a lot. In Saskatchewan, the large provincial basic personal amount ($20,381 in 2026) means almost no provincial tax at this income.
Why these provinces tax low wages differently
- Federal: the lowest federal rate is now 14% (it was 15% before mid-2025). The first $16,452 of income is covered by the basic personal amount.
- Saskatchewan has the highest basic personal amount of the five ($20,381). So it taxes low wages the least.
- Nova Scotia has the lowest basic personal amount ($11,932) and a first-bracket rate of 8.79%. So its provincial tax is the highest here, even though wages are higher than in Manitoba.
- Ontario has a low first rate (5.05%) and a tax reduction for low earners. But it adds the Ontario Health Premium once taxable income passes $20,000.
- Manitoba froze its basic personal amount at $15,780 and its brackets for 2025 and later, so its tax does not fall with inflation.
What workers should do now
- Check your first October pay stub. The new rate should show for hours worked from October 1.
- Know your overtime line. 44 hours in Ontario, 40 in Manitoba and Saskatchewan (plus daily overtime), 48 in Nova Scotia and PEI.
- Students in Ontario: once you turn 18, ask for the general rate.
- Tipped workers: tips do not count toward minimum wage in these provinces. Your hourly base must be at least the new rate.
- If you are not paid correctly, talk to your employer first. If that fails, contact your provincial employment standards office. Complaints are free.
If money is tight even after the raise, you are not alone. Our Canada food bank directory lists free food programs by city across all ten provinces.
Sources
- Government of Canada – Current and forthcoming minimum hourly wage rates
- CRA – T4127 Payroll Deductions Formulas, 122nd edition (January 1, 2026)
- Provincial employment standards offices of Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan (overtime and student wage rules)
Minimum wage is a floor, not a target. The raise this fall is modest, but if you know your new rate, your overtime line and roughly what you will take home, you can spot a pay mistake fast and plan your budget with real numbers.