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Thousands of workers across Quebec will see a small bump in their pay starting today. <\/p>\n
As of May 1, 2026, the provincial minimum wage has officially increased by 50 cents, bringing the hourly rate to $16.60.<\/p>\n
The Quebec government says the raise will help counter inflation, but a new study suggests that for those living in the province\u2019s largest city the increase is far from enough.<\/p>\n
For a single person living in Montreal, approximately $30 per hour \u2014 or $41,585 working full time \u2014 is what is considered a living income, according to a study released Thursday<\/a> by the Institut de recherche et d\u2019informations socio\u00e9conomiques (IRIS), a Quebec think tank.<\/p>\n The study describes a living income as enough money to cover essential expenses related to transportation, housing and food, as well as be able to enjoy cultural activities, take a vacation and set aside some savings for unforeseen events. <\/p>\n A family of four requires $88,812.<\/p>\n “There’s a big gap between what you earn and what you need to get out of poverty, and the gap is getting wider year after year,” IRIS researcher Eve-Lyne Couturier told CBC\u2019s Quebec AM.\u00a0<\/p>\n Couturier noted that costs are rising more quickly than the rate of inflation for people on low incomes. <\/p>\n That\u2019s because they spend a greater proportion of their income on things like food and housing, both of which are rising more quickly than inflation in Quebec, she said.<\/p>\n Quebec near middle of pack<\/p>\n