According to a press release, the Canadian government announced an increase in the federal minimum wage starting April 1.
It will increase to $17.75 per hour, a 2.4 percent rise from the current federal minimum wage.
The press release said: “This increase will ensure salaries for workers in federally regulated private sectors are keeping pace with year-over-year cost of living increases and help Canadians working in part-time, temporary and low- or minimum-wage jobs earn more.”
Employers are asked to adjust their payroll information to ensure their employees are paid the new hourly wage starting April 1.
Also, if the provincial or territorial minimum wage exceeds the federal rate, employers will pay the higher of the two, according to the press release.
In the press release, Steven MacKinnon, minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, said: “The federal minimum wage brings stability and certainty to Canadian workers and businesses alike and helps reduce income inequality across the board.
“Today’s increase brings us one step closer to building a more fair economy.”
The press release said the federal minimum wage is adjusted annually at the beginning of April based on Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index in relation to the previous calendar year, and later approximated to the closest $0.05.
The federal minimum wage has steadily increased from $15 since it was introduced in 2021.
