Minimum wage workers will soon see a bit more money on their paycheques.
Effective Oct. 1, minimum wage in Saskatchewan will rise from $10.50 an hour to $10.72.
Someone who works 40 hours a week at minimum wage will gross $428.80, $8.80 more than the current rate. The annual income, before taxes and other deductions, would be $22,298.
READ MORE: Minimum wage in Saskatchewan going up in October
“Increases to the minimum wage, when combined with other supports and tax exemptions, help ease the financial burden for low-income earners,” Don Morgan, Saskatchewan’s labour relations and workplace safety minister, said.
The Saskatchewan government said there are approximately 23,300 minimum wage earners in the province, with 56 per cent under the age of 25 and working in the service industry.
Saskatchewan legislation allows for an annual review based on changes to the consumer price index and the average hourly wage.
The rate increase is based on the average of the percentage change in the consumer price index and the percentage change in the average hourly wage for Saskatchewan during the previous year.
Despite the increase, the province will still have one of the lowest rates in Canada, only higher than Newfoundland and Labrador at $10.50, New Brunswick at $10.65 and Nova Scotia at $10.70.
Manitoba’s minimum wage is $11 and Alberta’s is $11.20, but is set to jump to $12.20 on Oct. 1.