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 Winnipeg worker needs to make at least $20.31 an hour in 2026 to get by, compared to $19.77 in 2025. The living wage in Brandon increased to $17.40 this year, compared to $16.22 last year.

For Thompson, the wage went up to $18.73 in 2026 from $17.89 in 2025, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Living Wage Update 2026 report.

Manitoba’s minimum wage is increasing 40 cents, from $16 to $16.40 on Oct. 1.

“With the way things are and how much expenses have increased, I just feel like it’s insufficient and kind of a token rise,” said Anika Atique, a Winnipegger.

The living wage doesn’t calculate savings for retirement or for a child’s education, and money for entertainment and recreation.

Food prices and higher transportation costs are some of the main reasons for the increased in living wages, according to the report.

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