The NWT’s minimum wage will increase by 25 cents an hour on September 1, 2026 to the new baseline hourly rate of $17.20.
The existing minimum wage is $16.95, which had been set in 2025.
Since 2022, the NWT government has adjusted the minimum wage annually using a formula based on percentage changes in the consumer price index and the average hourly wage from the previous year.
The GNWT says that ensures “moderate, predictable, and regular increases to the minimum wage rate,” aimed at offering stability and certainty for the territory’s businesses.
By the end of October 2026, the NWT will have the sixth-highest minimum wage of any jurisdiction in Canada, though it will remain the lowest available in the territories.
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Here’s how the new minimum wage compares:
Alberta: $15.00 per hour since June 2019
British Columbia: $18.25 per hour since June 2026
Manitoba: $16.00 per hour, rising to $16.40 in October 2026
New Brunswick: $15.90 per hour since April 2026
Newfoundland and Labrador: $16.35 per hour since April 2026
Nova Scotia: $16.75 per hour, rising to $17.00 in October 2026
Nunavut: $19.75 per hour, rising to $20.17 in September 2026
Ontario: $17.60 per hour, rising to $17.95 in October 2026
Prince Edward Island: $17.00 per hour, rising to $17.30 in October 2026
Quebec: $16.60 per hour since May 2026
Saskatchewan: $15.35 per hour, rising to $15.70 in October 2026
Yukon: $18.51 per hour since April 2026
The federal minimum wage, applied to federally regulated sectors of the economy, is $18.15.
