Overtime Pay Calculator

Overtime Rules by Province in Canada

Overtime regulations in Canada are set by each province and territory for provincially regulated workers, and by the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated industries. The standard overtime rate across the country is 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate, though the threshold at which overtime begins varies. Ontario requires overtime after 44 hours per week, while British Columbia, Alberta, and federally regulated workplaces trigger it after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Some jurisdictions apply both daily and weekly thresholds, meaning an employee can earn overtime on a long day even if their total weekly hours remain under the weekly cap.

British Columbia is unique in offering a double-time provision: after 12 hours in a single day, the rate increases to 2 times regular pay. Several provinces also allow overtime banking or “time in lieu” agreements, where employees take paid time off instead of overtime pay. In Ontario, banked overtime must be credited at 1.5 hours for each overtime hour worked. Not all employees are entitled to overtime — managers, supervisors, and certain professional or IT roles may be exempt under provincial legislation, though the specific exemptions differ by jurisdiction.

Provincial Overtime Thresholds (2026)

Employers who fail to pay required overtime face significant penalties under employment standards legislation, and employees can file complaints that trigger investigations and retroactive payment orders. Workers should track their hours independently and verify overtime calculations on each paystub. Averaging agreements — where hours are averaged over multiple weeks to determine overtime eligibility — are permitted in some provinces but require written agreement and cannot be used to avoid overtime obligations entirely.