Quebec’s minimum wage will rise to $16.60 an hour on Friday

Quebec's minimum wage will increase on May 1. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press)

The increase in Quebec’s minimum wage comes into effect on Friday, rising from $16.10 to $16.60 an hour.

When he announced this 3.1 per cent increase at the end of January, Labour Minister Jean Boulet stated that 258,900 people would benefit from it.

At the same time, the tip-based wage will rise from $12.90 to $13.30 an hour. This also represents a 3.1 per cent increase.

“In the current economic climate, it is important that the minimum wage rises in a balanced manner,” said Boulet. “This increase protects workers’ purchasing power, whilst enabling our businesses to remain competitive. It will also help encourage unemployed people to enter the labour market.”

The Quebec workers’ health and safety commission (CNESST) points out that a worker cannot be paid less than the current rate and that “the employer must pay them a wage equal to or higher than the minimum wage, even if they receive certain benefits, such as a car or accommodation provided by their employer.”

Reactions

For the Non-Union Workers’ Defence Fund, this increase is “paltry, while the prices of petrol, groceries and rent continue their skyrocketing rise.”

“The new minimum wage will result in a disposable income of just $27,647,” laments the organization.

Trade unions and community organizations argue that a minimum wage of $20 an hour is needed to live with dignity.

For its part, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) insists that SMEs are not opposed to the minimum wage increase.

“It’s important to have a reasonable increase. And the way the government calculates this, conducts its consultations and announces it in advance provides a degree of predictability for small and medium-sized enterprises,” says François Vincent, the CFIB’s Vice-President for Quebec.

If the government really wanted to help small businesses, he says, it would help them cope with rising costs, particularly by reducing their tax burden.

The CFIB has calculated that this increase in the minimum wage alone amounts to $1,197 per year, including $157 in payroll taxes.

“The majority—three out of five—are people under the age of 25 who work part-time. So, these are people who are studying, broadly speaking, and who often still live with mum and dad,” he adds. “Now, the best way to tackle poverty is to specifically help those in need.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 26, 2026.