Alberta keeps lowest minimum wage as five provinces hike theirs
Five provinces raised their minimum wage rates this week, leaving Alberta as the only province or territory that hasn't increased its rate this year.
Why it matters
Alberta workers now earn the lowest minimum wage of any province or territory in Canada, a gap that has widened as other jurisdictions raise their rates.
Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan raised their minimum wages starting October 1, with increases ranging from 25 to 40 cents an hour. Ontario's rate rose to $17.95, P.E.I.'s to $17.30, Nova Scotia's to $17, Manitoba's to $16.40, and Saskatchewan's to $15.70.
Ontario tied its increase to the rising cost of living, following a pattern seen in other provincial announcements.
With these changes, every Canadian province and territory has raised its minimum wage at some point in 2026 except Alberta, which has held its rate at $15 an hour since 2019. That leaves Alberta with the lowest minimum wage in the country.
Nunavut, which increased its minimum wage at the start of September, now has the highest rate in Canada at just over $20 an hour.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.