Common menu bar links

Institutional links

CYB Historical Collection
- Site map
- Search options

Browse by

Chronology

Tools and reference

About the collection

Page content follows

Minimum wage rates for female workers in Canada under orders of provincial minimum wage boards, as on December 31, 1936

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

Minimum wage rates for female workers in Canada under orders of provincial minimum wage boards, as on December 31, 1936
	Nova Scotia¹			Quebec²
	Wages per week		Hours per week	Wages per week		Hours per week
	Adults, ex- perienced	Minors, learners, etc.	All	Adults, experienced³	Minors, learners, etc.	All
	$		number	$		number
Manufacturing	10.00 to 11.00	6.00 to 10.00	44 to 50	9.00 to 12.50⁴	6.00 to 11.00⁶	44 to 55
Fruit and vegetable canning	-	-	-	-	-	-
Laundering, dry cleaning, etc.	10.00 to 11.00	6.00 to 10.00	44 to 50	0.18 to 0.22 per hour	0.13 to 0.20 per hour	-
Retail stores	10.00 to 11.00	6.00 to 10.00	44 to 50	8.00 to 12.50⁵	6.00 to 10.00⁵	40 to 60
Hotels, restaurants, etc.	10.00 to 11.00	8.00 to 10.00	44 to 50	15.00 to 22.00⁶	-	-
Hairdressing, etc.	10.00 to 11.00	6.00 to 10.00	48	10.00 to 12.50	6.00 to 11.00	48
Theatres and amusement places	-	-	-	-	-	-
Offices	10.00 to 11.00	7.00 to 10.00	48	-	-	-
Telephone operators	9.00 to 11.00	6.00 to 10.00	44 to 50	-	-	-
1. Rates apply to cities and incorporated towns.
2. Rates vary according to population and industry, the higher rates for Montreal and district.
3. In some industries, instead of a graduated scale according to experience, stipulated percentages of female workers in each establishment must receive the full minimum wage, while the remainder may work at lower minimum rates.
4. Hourly rates are fixed for certain industries: adults, experienced—19 to 25 cents per hour, minors, learners, etc.—12½ to 19 cents.
5. Includes departmental and chain stores, also wholesale establishments.
6. Hotels, per month with room and board. Restaurants: 17 and 15 cents per hour.
7. Rates vary according to locality and population.
8. Rates apply generally throughout province, also to male workers in many cases and to boys under 18 in cities.
9. Custom millinery trades not in factories: minors, learners, etc.—$5.00 to $10.00.
10. Apply also to departmental stores and mail-order houses (under separate order).
11. Higher rate applies to Winnipeg and district, and Brandon at any time; to Portage la Prairie, May to October; and to any summer resort, June to September.
12. Shoe shine parlours in Toronto only, all including learners $12.50 (under separate order).
13. Or 25 to 30 cents per hour.
14. Ticket sellers and ushers, less than 40 hours a week—30 cents per hour. No minor to be employed.
15. Apply also to elevator operators including learners (under separate order).
16. Winnipeg, St. Boniface, and St. James only.
17. Only in cities and within a radius of 5 miles; applies to males as well as females.
18. Apply to centres with more than 600 population, and to Banff, Lake Louise, Waterton Lake Park and Jasper, except in case of "Fruit and vegetable canning, etc." (where rates given apply throughout the province), and except in case of telephone operators.
19. Factory order includes garages and automobile service stations. Part time: adults—30 cents per hour; minors, learners, etc.—20 and 25 cents. See footnote 5.
20. Millinery shops, $4.00 to $10.00 per week.
21. Includes fur-sewing, dress-making, and millinery establishments.
22. Includes mail-order houses; exempts druggists, drug apprentices, foot or bicycle delivery boys.
23. Or 25 cents per hour. Inexperienced adults—$9.00 per week or 20 cents per hour. Order exempts bell boys, elevator operators and porters. Kitchen help—$10.00 per week or 21 cents per hour.
24. Rates for a 7-day week as follows: experienced—$14.50; apprentices—$10.50 to $13.00.
25. Personal service order applies also to garages and operation of elevators, including male employees.
26. Includes attendants in physicians' or dentists' offices, cash girls, telegraph operators and assistants in post offices.
27. Rates apply throughout the province. Provision made for washing, curing, packing, etc., (except canning) of fish as follows: experienced—$15.50 per week (48 hours) or 32 7/24 cents per hour; minors, learners, etc.—$12.75 to $14.75 per week.
28. For week of 40 hours or more. Hourly rates are set for those working less: adults, experienced—35 cents with minimum of $1.40 per day; minors, learners, etc.—20 to 30 cents with minimum of $1.00 to $1.25 per day.
29. Order includes chambermaids in lodging houses and elevator operators. There is a separate order for janitresses in apartment houses.
30. Personal service order includes attendants at garages and service stations, drivers of motor cars, etc., for all of whom (except those under 18) the rate is $14.25 per week.
31. Ushers, including learners—$14.25 for 36 to 48 hours per week, $10.00 for 18 to 36 hours; for legal holidays and special matinees—30 cents per hour with minimum of 75 cents per day.
32. For week of 37½ hours or more. For less than 37½ hours: adults, experienced—40 cents cer hour minors, learners, etc.—30 to 37½ cents, A minimum of 4 hours pay in any one day.
33. Order includes telegraph employees.
Source: Statistics Canada, Canada Year Book, 1937.