What is the minimum wage in quebec in 2026?

In detail

The minimum wage is reviewed by the government, usually on May 1^st of each year. The increase of May 1^st, 2026 raised the general rate from $16.10 to $16.60, and the rate for employees who receive tips from $12.90 to $13.30.

The “tipped” rate does not apply to everyone who works in a restaurant or a bar. It is aimed at an employee who usually receives tips as part of their work. Someone who does not usually receive tips is entitled to the general rate, even if they work in the same establishment.

The minimum wage is a floor. It applies to the hours actually worked, but also to all of the time during which the law considers the person to be at work: required training, travel requested by the employer, waiting time on the premises. Certain categories of employees have special rates (raspberry or strawberry picking, for example).

What to document

Your pay stubs, the number of hours recorded for each pay period, your own record of hours (start, end, breaks), and the date your hourly rate changed. If you believe you were paid below the minimum, what has to be shown is the gap between the hours worked and the hours paid — not what you remember.

Official sources

• Gouvernement du Québec — Minimum wage increase on May 1, 2026
• CNESST — Minimum wage

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