Minimum wage rises to $15.35 per hour in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan’s lowest earners are getting a raise.

The provincial government has raised the minimum wage from $15/hour to $15.35/hour.

Read more:

Saskatchewan calculates its minimum wage using an indexation formula designed to give equal weight to changes in both the Consumer Price Index and the province’s average hourly wage. Use of the formula was paused between 2022 and 2024 as the province implemented a series of incremental increases to raise the minimum wage from $11.81/hour to $15/hour, but after achieving that goal the government has now returned to using the formula.

“By raising the minimum wage, we are continuing to support workers and deliver on our commitment to affordability,” Jim Reiter, Saskatchewan’s deputy premier and minister of labour relations and workplace safety, said in a statement.

“We know the benefits that increasing the minimum wage will have for employees, but we also want to create a balance for employers,” Reiter added.

“Over the next few months, we will be working together with the Chambers of Commerce and other key stakeholders to understand the implications of increasing the minimum wage for the business community and the impact on Saskatchewan’s economy.”

But according to Jim Bence, president and CEO of Hospitality Saskatchewan, the move will accomplish very little in the hotel and restaurant industry.

“I think that my operators, they really do want to pay… a competitive wage. You have to in this market in Saskatchewan. We really need people,” he said.

“We’re seeing a lot of operators that may have some minimum-wage positions, but for the most part if you’re going to stay competitive, you’re already lifting your rates, depending on the position.”

Despite the increase, Saskatchewan’s minimum wage remains the second lowest in the nation, according to data published by the Retail Council of Canada. Alberta has the lowest minimum wage at $15/hour, while the highest is found in Nunavut, where minimum-wage earners are paid $19.75/hour.

Matthew Horning, one of the co-founders of Out of Order Coffee in Saskatoon, said the increase that takes effect on Wednesday is minuscule and does little to address the needs of workers.

“It’s a drop in the bucket for an employee. Maybe you get an extra half a tank of gas a month, so that’s nice, I guess,” he said.

“We’re in a time where everything is just really difficult and expensive, and you also just want people to live their lives and enjoy it. And I know times are hard and sometimes things are hard, but you have to be able to just enjoy your life at some point too,” Horning added.

“A living wage, for us, is just more than just paying your bills; it’s actually giving our employees a chance to live their life and enjoy it. And so at 15 bucks, it’s hard to do both. You kind of just cover your bills and you hope for the best.”

Horning said he believes the minimum wage should be closer to $18/hour, or even higher.

“I still think that’s probably a little low for how fast our rent prices are increasing, as an example but, you know, there are a lot of levers to pull, so I would like to go higher but I also understand that it’s very complex,” he said.

“At $15, you really don’t have the opportunity to save. You don’t really have the opportunity to invest in yourself or have any equipment, so you’re really just doing your best to scrape by. And $15.35, I mean, it’s nice to get an extra 50 bucks a month, as an example, but it’s not doing much.”