Minimum wage not enough to live in Manitoba, report says
Many Winnipeggers struggle to make ends meet as the minimum wage is nearly $4 below what a resident needs to make per hour to live in the city, a new report finds.
A new report reveals that Manitoba's minimum wage may not be sufficient for residents to afford a basic standard of living. In Winnipeg, a worker would require a minimum hourly wage of $20.31 in 2026 to make ends meet, a figure that is nearly $4 lower than the current minimum wage of $19.77. The living wage in Brandon rose to $17.40 in 2026 from $16.22 in 2025, while Thompson's living wage increased to $18.73 from $17.89 over the same period, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Living Wage Update 2026 report.
Manitoba's minimum wage is set to increase by 40 cents on October 1, 2026, from $16 to $16.40. However, Anika Atique, a Winnipeg resident, believes that the recent rise in expenses is rendering this increase insufficient and likening it to a "token" increase. The living wage calculation does not take into account factors such as savings for retirement, a child's education, or funds for entertainment and recreation.
Rising food prices and increased transportation costs are cited as primary reasons for the substantial rise in living wages.
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