Many Winnipeggers struggle to make ends meet as the minimum wage is nearly $4 below what a resident needs to make per hour to live in the city, a new report finds.
A Winnipeg worker needs to make at least $20.31 an hour in 2026 to get by, compared to $19.77 in 2025. The living wage in Brandon increased to $17.40 this year, compared to $16.22 last year.
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For Thompson, the wage went up to $18.73 in 2026 from $17.89 in 2025, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Living Wage Update 2026 report.
Manitoba’s minimum wage is increasing 40 cents, from $16 to $16.40 on Oct. 1.
“With the way things are and how much expenses have increased, I just feel like it’s insufficient and kind of a token rise,” said Anika Atique, a Winnipegger.
The living wage doesn’t calculate savings for retirement or for a child’s education, and money for entertainment and recreation.
Food prices and higher transportation costs are some of the main reasons for the increased in living wages, according to the report.
Watch the video above for the full story.
Minimum wage is just that. Never designed to be a living wage. Just a starting wage for entry level.
“$48,000 covers the basics”
That works out to $23.08 per hour. – that is the accepted level of ‘low income for a single person. The minimum to live.
Manitoba minimum wage is $16.40.
Alberta minimum wage is $15.00
Nunavut is 20.17
Alberta AISH gets $1,940/month (or 11.19/hr)
Average elderly gets 850+762/month (or 9.30/hr)
These are not lazy people… These are the disabled, the elderly, the mass of unskilled grade 12 grads.
We have way too many ‘working poor’ or people who cannot afford a place to live. – So Carney is thinking more immigrants is the cure…
And yet those that can’t work due to medical issues suffer even more with a living wage of under 1400 a month..
My rent is $500, septic $180, cell is 75, average fuel cost is 1.71, I travel 232kms one way, twice a month for dialysis, I pay for my fuel, averages $160 per trip. Eia, mpwd, cpp disability, doesnt provide enough to live on.
Ive written to Kinew.
Newsflash – minimum wage is not enough to live in Canada.
A “living wage” is around 26 dollar per hour.
Since when was minimum wage supposed to provide a living wage?? Minimum experience, minimum education, minimum pay. Raising minimum wage has never lifted anyone out of poverty.
Quit your whining and get the salt on those fries !!!
If you want higher income, apply yourself to personal improvement, lazy slobs
Universal income now. Or we kill everyone until morale improves
Minimum wage not enough to live ANYWHERE !!! ASK CORRUPT CARNEY IF HE GIVES a F/ K !!!
Minimum wage jobs are meant to minorly supplement a household or give a student some extra spending cash. Stop being an immature underachiever and demanding these jobs pay enough to solely live off. If working at McDonalds as a cashier is your idea of a career, you’ve done your life wrong.
It’s not meant to be.. do better
You need a report to figure that out? Really?! GTFOH
Minimum wage isn’t enough to live anywhere in the country