Paycheques are getting a little bigger for minimum-wage workers in five provinces, with increases of between 25 and 40 cents an hour rolling out as of Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The provinces adjusting their rates are Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Ontario's minimum wage is climbing to $17.95 an hour. In Prince Edward Island, workers will earn $17.30, while Nova Scotia's rate moves to $17. Manitoba's minimum wage rises to $16.40, and Saskatchewan's goes up to $15.70.
Ontario has tied its increase to the rising cost of living, following the approach other governments have taken when setting annual adjustments.
With these changes, every province and territory will have raised its minimum wage this year except Alberta, which has not increased its rate since 2019. Alberta holds the distinction of having the country's lowest minimum wage, at $15 an hour.
At the other end of the scale, Nunavut set the national high-water mark when it raised its minimum wage in September, bringing it to just over $20 an hour.
For local workers and small businesses alike, the changes mean updated payroll calculations and, for some employees, a modest bump in take-home pay as the fall begins.
