This is what Canada’s new federal minimum wage will be

The Canadian dollar coin, the loonie, is displayed on Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

The hourly federal minimum wage in Canada is about to go up.

Starting April 1, the new hourly amount will be $18.15, a release Tuesday from Employment and Social Development Canada said.

The federal minimum wage has been $17.75 as of April 1, 2025.

Employment and Social Development Canada said the boost is meant to keep up with inflation and provide “greater certainty and security to more Canadians.”

The federal minimum wage applies to federal jurisdictions, which according to the government’s website includes “international and interprovincial transportation, telecommunication and banking.”

If the provincial or territorial minimum wage exceeds the federal rate, federally regulated employers must pay their employees the higher amount.

Every year the federal minimum wage is modified on April 1, to align with Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the prior year, rounded to the nearest $0.05. In 2025, the CPI rose 2.1 per cent.