Quebec increases the minimum wage

Stéphane Berimbere

 

The Quebec government has announced an increase in the general minimum wage rate by $0.75 per hour to  $14.25 per hour. This was announced by Jean Boulet, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity, Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration and Minister responsible for the Mauricie region, in a press release on January 14.

"The health crisis is creating major challenges for businesses and workers in Quebec,” said Minister Boulet. “In this context, I am announcing today a significant and consequent increase in the minimum wage. On the one hand, we want the most vulnerable workers in society to be better paid, so as to increase their purchasing power and reduce poverty. On the other hand, we are making sure that this increase respects the financial capacity of companies to pay without harming their competitiveness."

Effective May 1, 2022, the minimum salary wages will be as follows;

•The general minimum wage rate will increase to $14.25 per hour (+$0.75)
•The minimum wage payable to tipped employees will be $11.40 per hour (+$0.60)
•The minimum wage payable to an employee assigned exclusively, during a pay period, to picking raspberries or strawberries will be $4.23 (+$0.22) and $1.13 (+$0.06) per kilogram, respectively.