May 1 is just over a month away, and for hundreds of thousands of Quebec workers, it comes with a pay bump.
Starting that day, the province’s minimum wage will increase from $16.10 to $16.60 per hour. The 50-cent raise works out to a 3.11% increase and is a bigger jump than last year’s 35-cent bump.
About 258,900 workers across Quebec will see their pay go up as a result. For someone working full-time hours, that adds up to roughly $687 in additional take-home pay over the course of a year.
“In the current economic context, it’s important that minimum wage evolves in a balanced way,” Labour Minister Jean Boulet said when the increase was announced in January. “This increase protects workers’ purchasing power while allowing our businesses to remain competitive.”
How Quebec stacks up
After the May 1 increase, Quebec will sit somewhere in the middle of the pack compared to other provinces. Nunavut leads the country at $19.75 per hour, while Ontario sits at $17.60 and British Columbia at $17.85. Alberta remains the lowest at $15.00.
Meanwhile, the federal government announced Tuesday that Canada’s federal minimum wage is climbing to $18.15 an hour as of April 1,
For context, Quebec’s minimum wage has climbed from $12.00 to $16.60 since May 2018, a total increase of $4.60 or about 38%.
What about tipped workers?
Employees who earn tips will also see a raise, with their rate going up 40 cents per hour from $12.90 to $13.30, a 3.10% increase.
Agricultural workers who pick berries will see their rates adjusted as well, with raspberry pickers receiving $4.93 per kilogram and strawberry pickers $1.32 per kilogram.
