Minimum wage set to rise by 10 cents

Saskatchewan’s minimum wage will increase to $11.06 per hour on Oct. 1 — no longer the lowest in Canada.

The current hourly rate of $10.96 per hour is the smallest among all provinces and territories, according to the Retail Council of Canada. Nova Scotia is second-lowest at $11.

The increase is based on an indexation formula, which the province has been using since 2011.

Don Morgan, the minister responsible for labour relations and workplace safety, said using the indexing formula allows for annual increases that are predictable for employees and employers.

“The government is also committed to providing support for low income earners beyond the minimum wage,” Morgan wrote in a statement to Postmedia News. “Saskatchewan’s low personal income tax rate, combined with supports such as the Saskatchewan Low Income Tax Credit and other tax credits, ensure low income earners don’t carry a heavy tax burden.”

The province will continue to use the formula, Morgan added.

The province’s unions have been advocating for an increase to $15 per hour. In April, following the budget announcement, the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) and the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) rallied outside the provincial cabinet office in Saskatoon to call on the province to mandate an hourly wage hike.

Ontario has Canada’s highest minimum wage at $14 per hour, followed by Alberta at $13.60 and the Northwest Territories at $13.46.