Quebec wages have gone up — Here's how much the average worker earns per week in 2024
With the cost of living continuing to rise, you may be wondering if your salary is in line with the average income in Quebec. Well, new data has just been released, allowing you to see whether your income falls within the right ballpark — or, perhaps, serving as the motivation you need to finally start that side hustle.
Every month, Statistics Canada publishes its "Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies" report, which provides a comprehensive overview of the earnings in each province.
The latest report, published on September 26, shows an increase in wages in Quebec. In fact, it reveals that Quebecers earned almost 4% more per week in July 2024, the most recent period available, than they did last year.
What is the average weekly wage in Quebec?
According to the latest data compiled by Statistics Canada, average weekly earnings in Quebec were $1,207.76 in July 2024, an increase of precisely 3.98% compared to the same month in 2023. Last year, this figure stood at $1,161.56.
On an annual basis, this represents a salary of approximately $63,014.
While this means wages are going up in la belle province, Quebecers' weekly earnings were still lower than those in Canada as a whole, which averaged $1,267.54 in July 2024, or approximately $66,080 per year.
Only four Canadian provinces pocket less than Quebec on a weekly basis, according to the latest data: Prince Edward Island ($1,068.03), Nova Scotia ($1,120.97), New Brunswick ($1,145.94) and Manitoba ($1,155.42). The province with the best average is Northwest Territories, with its small population of 44,731 people, whose weekly income is $1,717.52.
Our neighbours in Ontario, meanwhile, took home $1,299.77 per week in July 2024.
While “40-hour weeks” are commonly used terms, it's interesting to note that the average number of hours worked per week across the country was 33.5.
Do Quebecers make enough money to live comfortably?
To earn a living, yes. But "living comfortably" is subjective and the cost of living varies from city to city.
Each year, the Institut de recherche et d'informations socioéconomiques (IRIS) publishes a study on the amount of annual income required to enjoy a relatively comfortable standard of living in the province of Quebec.
According to this study, in 2024, a single person in Quebec would need an income of between $30,738 and $43,609 to achieve this standard. For a family of four, the required income would be between $72,788 and $86,585.
This shows that the average salary of Quebecers in 2024 exceeds the viable income estimated by IRIS for a single person or a family, provided both parents are employed.
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This article was originally published in French on Narcity Québec.
