Manitobans earning minimum wage will get a raise today.

The minimum wage is going up twenty cents today to $11.35 per hour. The adjustment is based on Manitoba's 2017 inflation rate of 1.6 per cent and rounding up to the nearest five cents. The last increase to the minimum wage was exactly one year ago.

According to the Government of Manitoba, our province's minimum wage in 1921 was 25 cents per hour. From 1934 to 1966, minimum wage rates sometimes differed depending on whether you worked in a rural or urban setting. Before 1960, there were also higher minimum wage rates for men than women. Back then there were separate rates for youth too. In fact, it wasn't until April 1st, 1988 that the youth minimum wage rate became the same as the adult rate.

On December 1st, 1966, Manitoba's minimum wage rate hit $1.00 per hour for the first time. It would take another eight years before it eclipsed the $2.00 per hour mark. On March 1st, 1991 it hit $5.00 per hour and then on October 1st, 2011 it reached $10.00 per hour.

Manitoba has the 5th lowest minimum wage rate in Canada. Alberta leads the way at $15.00 per hour, followed by Ontario at $14.00 and Northwest Territories at $13.46. The lowest minimum wage rate in Canada belongs to Nova Scotia at $11.00 per hour.