Minimum Wage Calculator

Minimum Wage Across Canada: 2026 Rates and Living Wage Context

Minimum wage in Canada is set independently by each province, territory, and the federal government. As of 2026, rates range from $15.00 per hour in Alberta (unchanged since 2018) to $19.75 per hour in Nunavut, reflecting the territory’s extreme cost of living. Most provinces now index their minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), resulting in annual adjustments that typically take effect on April 1 or October 1. The federal minimum wage of $18.15 per hour applies to workers in federally regulated industries such as banking, telecommunications, interprovincial transportation, and postal services.

The gap between minimum wage and a “living wage” — defined as the hourly rate a worker needs to cover basic expenses including housing, food, transportation, and childcare — remains significant in many cities. Living wage calculations by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives estimate that a single adult in Toronto needs approximately $25–$27 per hour to meet basic needs, while Vancouver requires $26–$28. Even in lower-cost cities like Winnipeg or Halifax, the living wage exceeds the provincial minimum by $3–$6 per hour. Several municipalities and employers have adopted voluntary living wage certifications.

Minimum Wage vs. Living Wage (Select Cities, 2026)

At $17.60 per hour working full-time (40 hours per week, 52 weeks), a minimum wage worker in Ontario earns $36,608 before taxes. After CPP, EI, and income tax deductions, take-home pay drops to roughly $30,000–$31,000. Qualifying for the GST/HST credit ($679 per year for singles) and the Canada Workers Benefit (up to $1,633 for singles) provides additional support, but the gap between minimum wage earnings and the cost of basic necessities in major Canadian cities remains a persistent challenge.

What Changed for 2026

• Saskatchewan has a scheduled increase: $15.35 rises to $15.70 on October 1, 2026, announced June 29, 2026. At full-time hours (40/week), that $0.35 is worth $728 more per year.
• Alberta stays at $15.00 — unchanged since October 2018 and now the lowest general minimum wage in the country.
• Nunavut’s $19.75 remains Canada’s highest rate. The spread between the lowest and highest jurisdictions is $4.75 per hour — $9,880 per year at full-time hours (2,080 × $4.75).
• The federal rate is $18.15 for federally regulated industries. Three jurisdictions currently exceed it — Nunavut ($19.75), Yukon ($18.51), and BC ($18.25) — and federally regulated employees in those places are entitled to the higher local rate.
• Indexation is now the norm: most provinces and territories adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index, with changes typically taking effect April 1 or October 1, so expect further announcements through the year.

Worked Example: A Full-Time Year at Minimum Wage

Full-time annual gross is simply hourly rate × 40 hours × 52 weeks(2,080 hours) — the same arithmetic this calculator runs, before any tax or deductions:

• Ontario: $17.60 × 40 = $704.00 per week → × 52 = $36,608 per year. Using this calculator’s 4.33-weeks-per-month convention, that is $3,048.32 per month.
• British Columbia: $18.25 × 40 = $730.00 per week → $37,960 per year — $1,352 more than Ontario for the same hours.
• Alberta: $15.00 × 40 = $600.00 per week → $31,200 per year — $5,408 behind Ontario and $6,760 behind BC.
• Saskatchewan: $15.35 × 40 = $614.00 per week → $31,928 per year at today’s rate. At $15.70 from October 1, 2026, the full-year equivalent becomes $32,656; a calendar year spanning the change blends the two rates.
• Quebec: $16.60 × 40 = $664.00 per week → $34,528 per year. A federally regulated employee in Quebec (at a bank, for example) earns the federal floor of $18.15 instead — $37,752 per year, a $3,224 difference for the same hours.

These are gross figures. CPP, EI, and income tax come off before the money reaches you, and few hourly jobs deliver exactly 2,080 paid hours once unpaid leave or seasonal gaps are counted — use the hours slider above to model your real schedule.

Full-Time Annual Gross by Jurisdiction (2026)

Every rate from the calculator above at the full-time standard of 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year:

Gross earnings before CPP, EI, and income tax, computed from the same rates the calculator above uses. The interactive table recalculates for any weekly hours you choose.

Two patterns stand out. The three northern and western leaders (Nunavut, Yukon, BC) all pay more than the federal rate, reflecting higher living costs; and the $9,880 annual gap between Alberta and Nunavut shows how much geography matters at the wage floor. Remember that a higher gross does not automatically mean a proportionally higher net: provincial income-tax brackets, basic personal amounts, and sales taxes differ too — the paycheque calculator on this site converts any of these gross figures into take-home pay for your province.