Minimum wage in Canada is set province by province, not nationally, so the floor you must pay depends entirely on where the work is done. As of mid-2026 the general adult rate runs from $15.00 in Alberta to $19.75 in Nunavut. Several provinces lift their rate on 1 October 2026, so a wage that is legal in September can be below the floor in October. Always pay the rate in force on the day the work is performed, and diarise the step-ups.
The 2026 rates, province by province
General adult minimum wage, with the effective date of each rate:
- Ontario: $17.60, rising to $17.95 on 1 October 2026.
- British Columbia: $18.25, effective 1 June 2026.
- Alberta: $15.00 (the lowest general rate; the under-18 student rate is $13.00).
- Saskatchewan: $15.35, effective since 1 October 2025.
- Manitoba: $16.00, rising to $16.40 on 1 October 2026.
- Quebec: $16.60, effective 1 May 2026 (the tip-receiving rate is $13.30).
- New Brunswick: $15.90, effective 1 April 2026.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $16.35, effective 1 April 2026.
- Nova Scotia: $16.75, rising to $17.00 on 1 October 2026.
- Prince Edward Island: $17.00, rising to $17.30 on 1 October 2026.
- Northwest Territories: $16.95.
- Nunavut: $19.75 (the highest in the country).
- Yukon: $18.51.
- Federal (Canada Labour Code): $18.15, for federally regulated workplaces. If the province where the employee works has a higher minimum wage, the higher provincial rate applies.
The 1 October 2026 step-ups
Four jurisdictions raise their general rate on the same day, 1 October 2026: Ontario to $17.95, Manitoba to $16.40, Nova Scotia to $17.00, and PEI to $17.30. If you run payroll across that date, the new rate applies to all hours worked from 1 October on. A worker whose pay period straddles the date is paid the old rate for September hours and the new rate from the 1st.
How the federal rate works
The $18.15 federal minimum wage covers only federally regulated employers (interprovincial transport, banking, telecommunications and similar). The vast majority of construction and trades work is provincially regulated, so your provincial rate is the one that binds. Where the federal rate applies and the provincial rate is higher, you pay the higher provincial figure.
Watch the sub-rates
Several provinces set lower rates for specific groups, and getting these wrong is a common standards complaint:
- Students: Ontario sets a lower rate of $16.60 for students under 18 working 28 hours a week or less; Alberta's under-18 student rate is $13.00.
- Tip-earning workers: Quebec sets a separate, lower rate of $13.30 for workers who regularly receive tips. This rarely applies on a construction crew but matters if you also run, say, a service side.
For a standard trades crew, none of these sub-rates usually apply, and you pay the general adult rate.
Worked example
A drywaller in Ontario pays a labourer $17.60 an hour through September 2026. From 1 October 2026 the floor rises to $17.95, so the labourer's rate must move up by at least 35 cents an hour for all hours worked from the 1st. On a 40-hour week that is an extra $14 a week per worker, easy to overlook on an old payroll template. A crew of four costs roughly $56 a week more from that date, before overtime.
Common mistakes
- Using last year's rate. Minimum wage moves often, and four provinces step up on 1 October 2026 alone.
- Applying one rate across provinces. A business working in both Alberta and BC faces a $3.25 gap in the floor between the two.
- Forgetting the higher-rate rule. Where federal and provincial rates differ, the higher one applies; you cannot pick the lower.
- Missing a mid-period increase. Split the pay period at the effective date and apply the new rate from the increase forward.
Common questions
Is there a separate construction minimum wage?
In most provinces, no. The general minimum wage applies to construction workers like any other employee. Quebec is the main exception, where CCQ rates set much higher minimums for covered construction work.
How often does it change?
Each province and territory sets and adjusts its own rate, usually once or twice a year (many on October 1 or April 1). The minimum is a floor; a collective agreement or your trade's going rate may be higher.
Is there a national minimum wage?
There is no single national minimum wage. A separate federal minimum applies only to federally regulated workplaces; for construction it is your province's or territory's rate that counts.
Know someone who needs this?
Keep reading
Was this guide useful?
Didn't find what you were looking for?
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email us at hello@kilnguides.co.uk.
In crisis? 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text 988) ·