US EditionGovernment of Canada Sets Federal Minimum Wage at $18.15 Starting April 1, 2026
The federal minimum wage increase reflects a 2.1% inflation rise in 2025, marking a 21% total increase since 2021 to support low-paid federally regulated workers.
- On Tuesday, the federal government announced the minimum wage for federally regulated industries will rise 40 cents to $18.15 per hour starting April 1, 2026, based on a 2.1 per cent Consumer Price Index increase in 2025.
- Since its 2021 reintroduction at $15, the federal minimum wage has grown 21 per cent through annual inflation-linked adjustments that maintain pace with rising costs.
- The increase affects workers in federally regulated sectors including transportation and banking; Ontario's current provincial minimum wage of $17.60 falls below the new federal floor.
- Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said the increase "is a floor that protects workers, especially those in the lowest-paid jobs in federally regulated sectors" and maintains "a reliable baseline that strengthens earnings."
- The raise arrives amid affordability pressures, with 40% of Canadians depending on tax refunds for expenses and an Abacus poll from December ranking cost-of-living as Canadians' top policy priority above health care.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Waterloo Chronicle
OrangevilleCanada is raising the federal minimum wage. Here’s how it stacks up against Ontario’s rate and living wage
The federal minimum wage is adjusted annually on April 1 based on Canada’s annual consumer price index from the previous year.
The federal minimum wage will increase from $17.75 per hour to $18.15 per hour as of April 1, 2026, an increase of $0.40.
Federal Minimum Wage Increasing by 40 Cents on April 1
The federal government is set to increase minimum wage to $18.15 per hour next week. The federal minimum wage will jump up 40 cents from $17.75 starting April 1, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) said in a March 24 news release. “Ensuring the federal minimum wage rises with inflation is a floor that protects workers, especially those in the lowest paid jobs in federally regulated sectors,” Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statem…
This increase, which will be effective from 1 April, represents a 21 per cent increase since its re-establishment on 29 December 2021.
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