Effective on September 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories will be increasing from $16.95 per hour to $17.20 per hour, based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.
This is part of the GNWT’s system for calculating and adjusting the minimum wage in the NWT, first put into place in 2022, helping to ensure moderate, predictable, and regular increases to the minimum wage.
This provides stability and certainty for businesses in the territory, as well as helping residents in the NWT who make minimum wage to keep up with the rising cost of living.
This is the fourth year in a row of using this system of minimum wage increases, building a stronger economy and workforce for the NWT.
The GNWT collected survey responses about the minimum wage this spring, which will help them to determine who minimum wage increases will be calculated in 2027. They plan to release a report on the results of this survey later this summer.
More information about the minimum wage in the NWT and how it’s calculated can be found at the GNWT’s website.
