Minimum Wage Rates Across Canada to Increase on October 1, 2022
September 30, 2022
Employment Standards
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Labour
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Legislation
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Employment
Bottom Line
Effective October 1, 2022, the minimum wage rates in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan will be subject to increases. This article summarizes the forthcoming changes across each of these jurisdictions.
Ontario
As we reported on April 5, 2022, Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 41, will be amended on October 1, 2022, to reflect the following new minimum wage rates:
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Employee Class
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Current Minimum Wage Rate
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Minimum Wage Rate Effective October 2022
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Employees who are students under 18 years of age, if the student’s weekly hours do not exceed 28 hours or if the student is employed during a holiday
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$14.10 per hour
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$14.60 per hour
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Hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides
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$75.00 per day, when working less than five consecutive hours in a day
$150.05 per day, when working five or more hours in a day
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$77.60 per day, when working less than five consecutive hours in a day
$155.25 per day, when working five or more hours in a day
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Employees who are homeworkers
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$16.50 per hour
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$17.05 per hour
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Any other employees (i.e., the general minimum wage rate)
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$15.00 per hour
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$15.50 per hour
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Manitoba
Effective October 1, 2022, the hourly minimum wage rate under The Employment Standards Code, C.C.S.M. c. E110, will increase from $11.95 to $13.50. This increase was announced by the Premier of Manitoba on August 18, 2022.
Two further increases to the provincial minimum wage rate are scheduled for the coming months:
- On April 1, 2023, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised by 65 cents to $14.15.
- On October 1, 2023, the minimum wage rate will be adjusted in accordance with changes to the Consumer Price Index. This adjustment is anticipated to bring Manitoba’s statutory minimum wage rate to approximately $15.00 per hour.
New Brunswick
On October 1, 2022, the minimum wage rate under New Brunswick’s Minimum Wage regulation (N.B. Reg. 2022-15) will be raised to $13.75 per hour. Conjunctively, the minimum overtime wage rate will become $20.63 per hour. For non-commission employees whose weekly hours of work are unverifiable, the minimum wage rate will become $605 per week.
This development marks the second increase to New Brunswick’s minimum wage rate during the 2022 calendar year. On April 1, 2022, the provincial minimum wage rate was increased from $11.75 per hour to $12.75 per hour. At the same time, the minimum overtime wage rate was raised to $19.13 per hour and the weekly minimum wage rate for non-commission employees with unverifiable hours was raised to $561.
Newfoundland & Labrador
On October 1, 2022, Newfoundland & Labrador’s hourly minimum wage rate will increase from $13.20 to $13.70. The new minimum wage rate was announced by the Government of Newfoundland & Labrador on May 26, 2022, following a report by the province’s Minimum Wage Review Committee.
Over the next 12 months, the provincial minimum wage rate will be gradually increased to $15.00 per hour, in the following phases:
- On April 1, 2023, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised by 80 cents to $14.50.
- On October 1, 2023, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised by 50 cents to $15.00.
The Government of Newfoundland & Labrador has implemented a Transitional Support for Small Businesses program to assist smaller employers with paying increased wages. Employers with 20 or less employees may receive up to $0.50 per hour for all hours worked by employees at the minimum wage rate between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023. The maximum benefit payable under the program is $20,800. Applications for program benefits must be submitted by December 1, 2022.
Nova Scotia
As of October 1, 2022, the minimum wage rate for most employees in Nova Scotia will be $13.60 per hour. This change reflects a wage increase of 25 cents per hour.
Further increases have been scheduled over the next 18 months, with the aim of eventually bringing the provincial minimum wage rate to $15.00 per hour:
- On April 1, 2023, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised to $14.30.
- On October 1, 2023, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised to $14.65.
- On April 1, 2024, the hourly minimum wage rate will be raised to $15.00.
The scheduled increases arise from N.S. Reg. 19/2022, which will amend the province’s Minimum Wage Order (General) (N.S. Reg. 5/1999, Sch. A), Minimum Wage Order (Construction and Property Maintenance) (N.S. Reg. 202/2003), and Minimum Wage Order (Logging and Forest Operations) (N.S. Reg. 5/1999, Sch. C).
Saskatchewan
Effective October 1, 2022, Saskatchewan’s provincial minimum wage rate will increase from $11.81 per hour to $13.00 per hour. The Saskatchewan Government had previously announced this development on May 3, 2022.
Two more increases to the minimum wage rate have been scheduled:
- On October 1, 2023, the minimum wage rate will increase to $14.00 per hour.
- On October 1, 2024, the minimum wage rate will increase to $15.00 per hour.
Check the Box
Employers should review their existing employment contracts, collective agreements, and payroll systems to ensure that employees’ pay rates will be consistent with the new minimum wage rates. Similar reviews should be undertaken over the upcoming year when further minimum wage increases are scheduled to take effect.
Employers should also keep in mind that some groups of employees may be exempt from the statutory minimum wage requirements or be subject to differently calculated rates of pay (e.g., employees paid by piecework, homeworkers, loggers, etc.). The rules applicable to these employee groups should be closely reviewed and any adjustments should be made as necessary.
Need More Information?
For more information about this development, contact your regular lawyer at the firm.
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