Minimum wage in Manitoba to increase October 1

The province reminds Manitobans the minimum wage will increase by 30 cents to $11.65 on Oct. 1, Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen said today.

“We continue to provide predictable and sustainable increases to Manitoba’s minimum wage, which achieves the right balance benefitting both employees and employers,” said Pedersen.  “Regular minimum wage increases improve wages for working Manitobans and provide predictability for small and medium-sized businesses that is consistent with Manitoba’s Consumer Price Index.”

Pedersen confirmed the increase of 30 cents per hour will raise the current minimum wage to $11.65 from $11.35 and ensure that Manitoba remains competitive with other provinces.  This adjustment is based on Manitoba’s 2018 inflation rate of 2.5 per cent, rounding up to the nearest five cents.

The minister noted the government continues to take action to make life more affordable for Manitobans, including the reduction of the PST to seven per cent from eight percent, effective July 1.  This broad-based tax cut benefits all Manitoba households and businesses, with an estimated total savings of $325 million in the first full year and growing in each subsequent year, he added.

Manitobans also continue to benefit from the indexation of the basic personal amount and the provincial income tax brackets.  Since indexation began in 2017, almost 8,000 lower income Manitobans have been removed from the tax rolls and the cumulative maximum tax savings from the 2017 tax year to the 2019 tax year is $253.

“We will build on the success we have achieved in our first term of office and continue to move Manitoba forward on a path toward a better, brighter, more affordable future for all Manitobans,” said Pedersen.

The province plans to introduce legislation this year to begin implementation of the 2020 Tax Rollback Guarantee, which will save an average Manitoba taxpayer $2,020 once the measures are implemented, the minister said.