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If you’ve ever wondered how your paycheque compares to the rest of Canada, you’re not alone. Between rising rent prices and grocery bills that seem to grow by the week, knowing where Quebec stands in terms of earnings is more relevant than ever.
Plus, if you’re in Montreal, figuring out how the average salary in Quebec stacks up can be a great way to gauge if your pay is keeping up with the city’s vibe — or its cost of living.
So, how does Quebec measure up when it comes to average pay? Statistics Canada just dropped its latest data revealing the average Canadian salary by province, and let’s just say, the numbers might surprise you.
Nationwide, the average weekly earnings in September 2024 (the most recent data available) hit $1,280.28, which works out to about $66,575 annually.
But Quebec lags behind the national average, with weekly earnings averaging $1,228.15 — or around $63,864 a year.
It’s not all bad news, though. Quebec’s average salary has seen a steady rise each month since December 2023, and it’s up 4.7% over the last year. Meanwhile, inflation rose only 1.6% year over year in that same period — meaning Quebecers are actually seeing more real purchasing power with their paycheques.
Here’s the full breakdown of each province and territory’s average weekly wages as of September 2024 (and their yearly equivalent):
- Nunavut: $1,751.75 ($91,091/year)
- Northwest Territories: $1,701.28 ($88,467/year)
- Yukon: $1,450.08 ($75,404/year)
- Alberta: $1,353.72 ($70,393/year)
- Ontario: $1,316.32 ($68,449/year)
- British Columbia: $1,286.83 ($66,915/year)
National average: $1,280.28 ($66,575/year) - Newfoundland and Labrador: $1,244.55 ($64,717/year)
- Saskatchewan: $1,229.70 ($63,944/year)
- Quebec: $1,228.15 ($63,864/year)
- Manitoba: $1,154.20 ($60,018/year)
- New Brunswick: $1,148.59 ($59,727/year)
- Nova Scotia: $1,128.25 ($58,669/year)
- Prince Edward Island: $1,091.68 ($56,767/year)
Nunavut leads the pack thanks to its smaller population and higher cost of living, which typically boosts wages (incidentally, the territory also has the highest minimum wage in Canada). Alberta also shines with its strong oil and gas industry helping push earnings up.
Quebec’s wages, meanwhile, sit just slightly above Manitoba and below Saskatchewan — showing we’re holding our own but still have some catching up to do.
So, is Quebec a paradise for aspiring millionaires? Not quite. But while we might earn less on average compared to places like Ontario or Alberta, it’s worth remembering Quebec’s overall cost of living tends to be lower. That means your money might stretch further here, especially in cities like Quebec City or Trois-Rivières.
In fact, a report from the Institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques (IRIS) suggests that a single person in Quebec would need to earn between $30,738 and $43,609 to live comfortably in 2024, while a family of four would require an income between $72,788 and $86,585.
With those numbers in mind, Quebec’s average salary is starting to look pretty solid after all.
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