Living Wages for Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson all rise as workers struggle with affordability crisis

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba (CCPA-MB) released the 2026 Living Wage Update today, showing how much workers in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson need to earn per hour to afford essentials like groceries and rent.

Living wages for Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson all increased this year, as workers continue to struggle with the affordability crisis. 

The 2026 Winnipeg living wage is increasing by $0.54 to $20.31 an hour compared to the 2025 living wage. Compared to 2025, the living wage in Brandon increased to $17.40 an hour, up $1.18, and the living wage in Thompson increased by $0.84 to $18.73. 

This means that Manitoba’s legislated minimum wage, set to increase to $16.40 on October 1, will fall nearly $4 short of what workers in Winnipeg need to earn to afford essentials like rent and groceries. And the minimum wage will fall short of what workers need to earn to afford essentials in Brandon and Thompson too. 

“This year’s living wage numbers show that working people are still being squeezed by rising food, housing and transportation costs. They also show how much public policy matters. Affordable child care and income supports can help make ends meet, while the loss or claw back of benefits can quickly erase those gains,” says Jesse Hajer, Associate Professor in Economics and Labour Studies at the University of Manitoba. 

Rising food prices were a major driver of increases to the living wage, with price increases of just under 4 percent. Higher transportation costs also contributed, rising at or near 3 percent. 

Brandon also saw a significant increase in rent, which rose 5.1 percent, while the cost of a three-bedroom apartment increased at a lower rate in Winnipeg and Thompson by less than 2 percent.  

“Manitobans know that our minimum wage is too low to be able to afford the essentials like groceries and rent,” said Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour. “Based on polling conducted by Probe Research for the Manitoba Federation of Labour, 70 percent of Manitobans say that Thursday’s increase to the minimum wage is not enough for most workers to get by on.” 

The end of the Canada Carbon Rebate led to a significant decline in benefit income for all three living wage locations, removing $600 from the Winnipeg family and $720 from Brnadon and Thompson family budgets.

Families continued to benefit from the federal and provincial government’s partnership to support $10-a-day childcare, with the final stage of implementation reducing fees for holiday and school in-service days to $10, saving families $615 per year. But many Manitoba families remain on childcare waitlists and can’t access the benefit of $10/day spaces.

Research shows the benefits of paying a living wage for employers and employees alike, including increased retention, well being and productivity.