Quebecers on the low end of the pay scale will get a raise this spring.
The province's minimum wage will increase by 75 cents on May 1, bringing it to $12.00 per hour. It is the largest wage increase in the province's history.
The Quebec government made the announcement Wednesday morning, stating about 352,000 workers will benefit from the increase.
Workers who make the minimum wage with tips will also see a 35-cent increase, bringing the total up to $9.80 per hour.
The increase comes shortly after Ontario's rate increased to $14.00 per hour from $11.60 on Jan. 1. The move prompted some franchises to cut employee benefits to offset the hike.
Across Canada, the current minimum wage ranges from $10.85 in Nova Scotia to $14 in Ontario. At $12, Quebec's minimum wage would rank third highest in the country behind Alberta and Ontario.
In Quebec, minimum wage workers currently make $11.25. The last time the government raised the rate was in May 2017.
The province announced plans last January to make four wage increases over the next four years, bringing the minimum wage up to $12.45 per hour by 2020.
