Minimum Wage Is Going Up In Several Provinces In 2022 & Here's Who'll Be Paid The Most
There's a pretty big difference between the best and worst paid spots.đź’°
It may only be January but already multiple provinces and territories in Canada have plans to increase their minimum wage in 2022.
While some regions will pay employees at least $16 per hour by the end of this year, others are set to end up falling behind with rates like $11.81 or even less per hour.
Employees in Ontario may have already noticed a small increase in their pay packets, as the minimum wage went up to $15 in January of this year. It's now among the highest in the country, but doesn't quite take the top spot.
Lagging a little behind is Nova Scotia, where the current rate is $12.95. This is going up to $13.35 in April 2022, with additional increases expected to bring this to $15 within two years.
Minimum wage workers living in New Brunswick can expect their wages to increase twice this year. It will climb to $12.75 on April 1 and then again to $13.75 on October 1.
In Quebec, it will increase from $13.50 to $14.25 as of May 1, 2022.
Residents of Manitoba are set for a boost too, but not until October 1, 2022. It's adjusted annually based on the inflation rate, so it's too early to tell how much it could change by.
The same applies in Newfoundland and Labrador, where it will be reconsidered on April 1 relative to the Consumer Price Index.
Residents of Saskatchewan — which currently has one of the lowest figures in Canada at $11.81 — can expect the same in October 2022.
In Prince Edward Island this year, rates will increase by 70 cents from $13 to $13.70 per hour. It will come into effect as of April 1.
Nunavut currently has the highest minimum rate in Canada, paying employees at least $16 per hour. It's reviewed annually on April 1. While it sounds like a lot in comparison to some other spots, it's worth considering that prices are much higher in many areas of Nunavut.
Is minimum wage going up everywhere?
Not every Canadian province has plans to bump their minimum wage this year. For example, Alberta's remains unchanged for now at $15 per hour.
In B.C., the rate is $15.20 per hour as of June 2021, with no scheduled plans for an update this year.
The same rate applies in the Northwest Territories, effective as of September 1, 2021. The region's minimum wage is reviewed bi-annually, so it's not likely to go up again in 2022.
After all the shifting this year, Nunavut is still likely to have the highest minimum wage rate in Canada at $16, followed by Yukon, B.C. and the Northwest Territories at $15.20.
On the other end of the scale is New Brunswick, with the lowest legal rate at $11.75. After April 2022, Saskatchewan will officially take the bottom spot with $11.81.