Starting October 1st, the minimum wage in Saskatchewan will be increasing.  

Announced Friday, the increase will be 36 cents, bringing the wage up to $11.81 an hour from $11.45 an hour. The increase, which every year is announced in June to take effect in October, is based on a formula that factors in the consumer price index as well as the average hourly wage in Saskatchewan.  

"Dealing with COVID-19 over the past year and a half has been a difficult time for everyone in Saskatchewan," Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said in a written release. "The provincial government has a strong framework in place to ensure that we are supporting both businesses and workers as we move into recovery after the pandemic.  As life returns to normal, sustainable and predictable increases to our minimum wage help ensure that everyone will be able to benefit from a strong and growing Saskatchewan in the future." 

The leader of the opposition NDP, Ryan Meili, said the increase doesn’t go far enough. 

“Workers in this province have done everything that the government and public health officials have asked of them - and in return, Premier Scott Moe has rewarded them with the second-lowest minimum wage in Canada,” said Meili. “Saskatchewan workers deserve so much better, and the economic recovery we all want to see won’t mean much if it doesn’t include working families being able to get back on their feet.” 

When the change takes effect on October 1st, only New Brunswick will have a lower minimum wage than Saskatchewan.