On the first day of October, Saskatchewan鈥檚 minimum wage will increase by 36 cents to $11.81 an hour.
The minimum wage is reviewed by the provincial government annually, using a formula that takes into account the consumer price index and the average hourly wage within the province.
鈥淒ealing with COVID-19 over the past year and a half has been a difficult time for everyone in Saskatchewan,鈥� said Don Morgan, the labour relations minister.
鈥淭he provincial government has a strong framework in place to ensure that we are supporting both businesses and workers as we move into recovery after the pandemic.聽 As life returns to normal, sustainable and predictable increases to our minimum wage help ensure that everyone will be able to benefit from a strong and growing Saskatchewan in the future.鈥�
When the increase happens on Oct. 1, Saskatchewan鈥檚 minimum wage will be the second-lowest in the country. New Brunswick would be the lowest at $11.75. The highest minimum wages are Nunavut at $16 an hour, B.C. at $15.20 an hour and Alberta at $15 an hour. Manitoba鈥檚 minimum wage, the third-lowest, will be $11.95 an hour.
Ryan Meili, the NDP鈥檚 leader, renewed his party鈥檚 calls for a $15 an hour minimum wage.
鈥淲orkers in this province have done everything that the government and public health officials have asked of them 鈥� and in return Premier Scott Moe has rewarded them with the second-lowest minimum wage in Canada,鈥� he said. 鈥淪askatchewan workers deserve so much better, and the economic recovery we all want to see won鈥檛 mean much if it doesn鈥檛 include working families being able to get back on their feet.鈥�
