The 2026 wage rate
The federal minimum wage rose to $18.15 an hour on April 1, 2026. It applies in federally regulated workplaces, subject to the Canada Labour Code framework.
Enforcement changes
The Labour Program can impose a separate administrative monetary penalty for each day a violation continues and can issue a penalty without waiting for a compliance order or direction to finish review or appeal.
The federal employer-publication policy now includes type A violations as well as types B through E. Compliance orders also warn that failure to provide proof of corrective action can support a finding that non-compliance continues. A wider review of the penalty framework remains under way.