The Saskatchewan government has announced that it will be increasing the minimum wage this fall, going from $11.81/hour to $13/hour.

“World events continue to put upward pressure on the cost of living in Saskatchewan and across Canada,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said. “Our government is committed to ensuring life is affordable for our low-income residents by increasing the minimum wage over the next three years. This commitment to affordability will support Saskatchewan workers, and ensure Saskatchewan is the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

That change will be taking place on October 1, 2022, and on October 1, 2023, which will rise to $14/hour, before rising again on October 1, 2024, to $15/hour.

The increases in the minimum wage will be reflecting a market adjustment, rather than using the province’s traditional indexation formula.

The indexation formula gives equal weight to changes to the Consumer Price Index and Average Hourly Wage for Saskatchewan.

However, for this year as well as 2023 and 2024, the increase in the minimum wage is said to reflect a move to more closely align workers’ salaries with changing market forces.

“As we continue to grow Saskatchewan, we want to attract quality investments and jobs so that all citizens can benefit. Making this change to the minimum wage is a step in that direction,” Morgan said.

In 2007 the minimum wage in the province was $7.95, and by 2024 there will have been a total increase to the rate of nearly 89 percent.