On April 1, 2022, the federal minimum wage will increase from $15.00 to $15.55 per hour. For those working in provinces or territories where the general minimum wage rate is higher, the higher rate will continue to apply.

The federal minimum wage, which came into force on December 29, 2021, is adjusted automatically on April 1 of every year, based on the average annual increase of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as reported by Statistics Canada. This is to ensure that the federal minimum wage keeps pace with inflation. This year’s rate increase reflects the 3.4% annual average rise of the CPI for Canada in the previous calendar year, rounded up to the nearest $0.05.

This change applies to workers and interns in federally regulated private sectors, including banks, postal and courier services, and interprovincial air, rail, road, and marine transportation. There are approximately 18,500 employers in federally regulated industries, including federal Crown corporations, which together employ 955,000 people (about 6% of all employees in Canada).

For people employed in minimum-wage jobs trying to support themselves and their families, every dollar makes a difference. Whether it be at the grocery store, in their housing payments or simply making ends meet, affected workers benefit when the minimum wage rises.