Government of Yukon increases the minimum wage to $12.71 per hour

Minister of Community Services John Streicker announced today that the Government of Yukon has approved the Employment Standards Board’s order to increase Yukon’s minimum wage on April 1 to $12.71 per hour.

The minimum wage in Yukon is rising from $11.51 to $12.71. This is an increase of $0.90, plus the 2018 Consumer Price Index of 2.4 per cent.

At the request of Minister Streicker, the Employment Standards Board conducted a review of the minimum wage in 2018 and submitted its report and recommendation on November 30, 2018.

The Yukon government accepted the Employment Standards Board’s overall report. For recommendations on how to implement increases for 2020 and 2021, the Minister has asked the board to consider:

  • changes in the annual Consumer Price Index;
  • a comparison and monitoring of other jurisdictions;
  • an economic impact analysis of additional increases, which the government will commission and provide; and
  • any other relevant information that the board chooses to evaluate.

Thank you to the Employment Standards Board for conducting a review of the minimum wage in Yukon and to all Yukoners who contributed to the process. This increase to the minimum wage will help support lower income Yukoners. Yukon will be better able to attract and retain workers in sectors where staffing is an ongoing challenge.

Minister of Community Services John Streicker

Quick facts 
  • Yukon’s minimum wage increases according to the annual increase in the Whitehorse Consumer Price Index (CPI) on April 1 of each year. The CPI is a baseline set on a basket of daily purchases such as fuel, food and clothing.

Media contact 

Janine Workman
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7449
janine.workman@gov.yk.ca

Bonnie Venton Ross
Communications, Community Services
867-332-5513
bonnie.ventonross@gov.yk.ca

News release #: 
19-033