Quebec workers are starting May with a bigger paycheque.
As of today, the province's minimum wage has risen from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour, a 50-cent increase that works out to a 3.11% bump. That's larger than last year's raise, which came in at 35 cents. For anyone working full-time hours, the change adds up to roughly $687 in additional earnings over the course of a year.
Around 258,900 workers across Quebec are expected to benefit. Tipped workers will also see an increase, with their minimum rate climbing from $12.90 to $13.30 per hour.
Agricultural workers who pick berries will see adjusted piece rates as well: $4.93 per kilogram for raspberries and $1.32 per kilogram for strawberries.
How Quebec compares to the rest of Canada
With today's increase, Quebec sits in the middle of the national pack. Here's where every province and territory currently stands, including upcoming increases:
- Nunavut: $19.75
- Yukon: $18.51
- Federal: $18.15
- British Columbia: $17.85 (rising to $18.25 on June 1, 2026)
- Ontario: $17.60 (rising to $17.95 on October 1, 2026)
- Prince Edward Island: $17.00 (rising to $17.30 on October 1, 2026)
- Northwest Territories: $16.95
- Nova Scotia: $16.75 (rising to $17.00 on October 1, 2026)
- Quebec: $16.60 as of May 1, 2026
- Manitoba: $16.00 (rising to $16.40 on October 1, 2026)
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $16.35
- New Brunswick: $15.90
- Saskatchewan: $15.35
- Alberta: $15.00
British Columbia is already ahead of Quebec and will widen that gap further when its rate jumps to $18.25 next month. Ontario trails Quebec for now, but is closing in with its October increase. And Alberta, with no increases currently scheduled, remains the lowest in the country at $15.00, a full $1.60 below Quebec's new rate.
For broader context, Quebec's minimum wage has climbed from $12.00 per hour back in May 2018, meaning workers have seen a total increase of $4.60, or roughly 38%, over the past eight years.
If your pay period spans both April and May, your paycheque will reflect the old rate ($16.10) for hours worked until April 30 and the new rate ($16.60) for hours worked from May 1 onward. Since the increase takes effect on Friday, your first pay slip reflecting those hours will likely be issued in mid-May, depending on your employer's pay cycle.
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