‘It’s not enough’: Committee hears details on pair of Edmonton affordable housing builds

Salaries in Quebec have gone up, but they don’t look great compared to other provinces

<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/the-quebec-flag-waving-right-a-person-holding-a-stack-of-canadian-money.jpg?id=51828807&width=1200&height=600&coordinates=0%2C50%2C0%2C50"/><br/><br/><p>With rent prices soaring and grocery bills climbing, it's normal to wonder how your <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/quebec-wages-how-much-average-earn-per-week-2024">Quebec paycheck</a> stacks up against the rest of the country. </p><p>Well, new data from <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/statistics-canada">Statistics Canada</a> just dropped, and it tells us exactly where Quebecers stand when it comes to average weekly earnings. Spoiler: it's not the best, but not the worst either.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250130/dq250130b-eng.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Statistics Canada's latest report</a>, released on January 30, the average weekly earnings in Canada went up by 5% in November 2024 compared to the previous year. However, in Quebec, the increase was only 3.8%, meaning workers here are not keeping pace with the national average.</p><p>So, how much do Quebecers actually make?</p><p>As of November 2024, the average weekly earnings in Quebec were $1,229.18, which works out to about $63,917 per year before taxes. That's less than the national average of $1,285.91 per week (about $66,867 annually). </p><p>Meanwhile, our Ontarian neighbours are pulling ahead with $1,329.43 per week, and Alberta isn't far behind at $1,344.47 per week.</p><p>But if you want to see big bucks, head to the Northwest Territories, where workers bring in an average of $1,988.54 per week, or over $103,000 annually. For context, they have a population of less than 45,000 people.</p><p>Here's a full breakdown by province:</p><ul><li>Prince Edward Island – $1,093.98/week ($56,886 per year)</li><li>Nova Scotia – $1,151.32/week ($59,869 per year)</li><li>Manitoba – $1,151.58/week ($59,882 per year)</li><li>New Brunswick – $1,162.33/week ($60,441 per year)</li><li>Quebec – $1,229.18/week ($63,917 per year)</li><li>Saskatchewan – $1,232.50/week ($64,090 per year)</li><li>Newfoundland and Labrador – $1,273.60/week ($66,227 per year)</li><li>British Columbia – $1,290.38/week ($67,100 per year)</li><li>Ontario – $1,329.43/week ($69,930 per year)</li><li>Alberta – $1,344.47/week ($69,912 per year)</li><li>Yukon – $1,471.77/week ($76,532 per year)</li><li>Nunavut – $1,763.69/week ($91,711 per year)</li><li>Northwest Territories – $1,988.54/week ($103,404 per year)</li></ul><p>With all that said, salaries don't paint the entire picture and are just one part of the equation. The cost of living plays a huge role, too.</p><p>According to a <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/quebec-canadas-cheapest-provinces-2025" target="_self">January report from movingwaldo.com</a>, Quebec ranks sixth on the list of most affordable provinces, with an average monthly cost of living at $2,665.56. One-bedroom apartments cost around $1,776 monthly, and homes average $525,732.</p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>