Business -> Employment Standards / Labour Laws
Minimum Wage Rates and Other Employment Standards (Labour Laws) in Canada
The federal, provincial and territorial governments have regulations to enforce employment standards such as minimum rates for wages, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, overtime pay, and many other employment conditions.
Most jobs are covered under provincial labour laws. However, certain businesses and industries are under federal jurisdiction, and are covered by the Canada Labour Code. For more information on how to determine which jobs are covered by federal legislation, see the Human Resources & Skills Development Canada web page Federally Regulated Businesses and Industries.
The Government of Canada website has information on employment standards in Canada. This site includes a Minimum Wage Database, which includes a table of the current and future minimum wage rates in each province and territory, as well as a table providing minimum wage rates for young workers and specific occupations. Every province except New Brunswick has an increase in the adult minimum wage rate in 2015, with the BC increase taking effect Sep 15th, and increases on Oct 1 for Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Provincial governments, and some of the territories, have their own web pages regarding employment standards:
Alberta Employment StandardsBritish Columbia Employment Standards
New Brunswick - Labour / Employment
Newfoundland & Labrador Labour Relations Agency
Northwest Territories Employment Standards
Nova Scotia Labour and Advanced Education
Prince Edward Island Employment Standards
Saskatchewan Employment Standards
Tools to Help Calculate Various Employment Entitlements
Canada Labour Employment Standards Calculation Tools - General Holiday Calculator, Vacation Pay Calculator for federally regulated employers
Ontario Employment Standards Tools - understand and calculate entitlements to public holiday pay, hours of work and overtime, severance pay, and termination pay. Includes a workbook to help you comply with core standards of the Employment Standards Act.
Quebec monCalcul Calculation Tools for vacation pay, statutory general holiday pay, salary and overtime
Saskatchewan Vacation Pay Calculator
Revised: May 29, 2019