Which 5 provinces are increasing minimum wage rates in October?

Payroll and compliance teams across Canada will want to prepare for a wave of minimum wage increases taking effect Oct. 1, 2026.

HR professionals in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Prince Edward Island to confirm updated pay rates, contracts and job postings before the deadline to avoid non-compliance under provincial employment standards legislation.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia

Manitoba's minimum wage will rise 40 cents to $16.40 per hour on Oct. 1, up from $16.00.

The increase reflects the province's 2025 inflation rate, rounded up to the nearest five cents, and is set annually under the Employment Standards Code.

Nova Scotia's rate will increase for the second time this year, from $16.75 to $17.00 on Oct. 1, following a unanimous recommendation from the province's Minimum Wage Review Committee. 

"These changes reflect a balanced, responsible approach that helps workers keep more money in their pockets while supporting predictability for employers," said Nolan Young, Nova Scotia's Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration.

Saskatchewan and Ontario

Saskatchewan's minimum wage will increase to $15.70 per hour on Oct. 1, calculated under a formula that weighs the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the province's average hourly wage equally.

"We have tried to balance the need for an increase to the minimum wage with ensuring employers are able to continue to build strong businesses," said Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety.

Ontario's general minimum wage will rise from $17.60 to $17.95 per hour on Oct. 1, giving the province the second-highest rate in Canada, according to its Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The change, tied to a 1.9-per-cent rise in Ontario's CPI, is expected to benefit more than 700,000 workers, the ministry said.

Prince Edward Island and the compliance outlook

Prince Edward Island's minimum wage is scheduled to rise to $17.30 on Oct. 1, and to $17.60 on April 1, 2027, giving it the highest confirmed rate in Atlantic Canada.

The province's Employment Standards Board is separately reviewing future minimum wage rates and is accepting written public submissions until Oct. 30, 2026.

Under the province's Employment Standards Act, the Employment Standards Board conducts an annual review of the minimum wage and recommends future rates to government, based on economic conditions and input from the public and stakeholders. This is separate from — and in addition to — the increases already scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026, and April 1, 2027.

Islanders can submit written feedback until Oct. 30, 2026.

Here's the full picture across all 13 Canadian jurisdictions, current as of today (Sept. 14, 2026). Note that some "last increases" you may have seen in earlier drafts have now taken effect (Northwest Territories and Nunavut both increased again on Sept. 1), while several provinces still have confirmed October 2026 increases pending.