Quebec’s minimum wage is going up in May & here’s how much workers will make

Good news for hundreds of thousands of Quebec workers — minimum wage is going up again this spring.

On Thursday, the Quebec government announced that the province’s minimum wage will increase from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour as of May 1, 2026.

That’s a 50-cent jump, which works out to a 3.11% increase. It’s also a bigger raise than last year’s 35-cent bump, according to the province’s announcement.

Who benefits?

About 258,900 workers across Quebec will see their pay go up because of the change.

For someone working full-time hours, that could mean an extra $687 in take-home pay over the course of a year. And given the rising cost of rent and food, every penny counts.

“In the current economic context, it’s important that minimum wage evolves in a balanced way,” Labour Minister Jean Boulet said in a statement. “This increase protects workers’ purchasing power while allowing our businesses to remain competitive.”

How it’s changed over time

Since May 2018, Quebec’s minimum wage has climbed from $12.00 to $16.60 per hour. That’s a total increase of $4.60, or about 38%.

For context, Quebec raised its minimum wage back in May 2025, which put it ahead of some provinces but still behind others like Ontario ($17.60) and British Columbia ($17.85).

After this spring’s increase, Quebec will still sit somewhere in the middle compared to the rest of Canada. Nunavut leads the country at $19.75 per hour, while Alberta remains the lowest at $15.00.

According to data from StatCan, the average weekly wage for full-time workers in Quebec now sits at $1,280.

What about tipped workers?

Employees who earn tips will also see a raise. Their rate is going up 40 cents per hour (a 3.10% increase), from $12.90 to $13.30.

Agricultural workers who pick berries will see their rates adjusted too: $4.93 per kilogram for raspberries and $1.32 per kilogram for strawberries.