Overtime in Canada: Thresholds by Province and Territory

An employee who works 45 hours in a week triggers overtime pay in Quebec, but not in Nova Scotia. The same schedule doesn’t cost the same depending on where the workplace is located.

Overtime in Canada is governed by thirteen provincial and territorial regimes, plus federal rules. Thresholds range from 40 to 48 hours per week, some jurisdictions add a daily threshold, and two provinces calculate overtime pay on the minimum wage rather than the employee’s actual rate.

This guide brings together the thresholds, rates and banked time rules that apply in each jurisdiction.

Overtime in Canada: comparison table

Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the calculation basis everywhere in the country. The thresholds and rates above come from provincial and territorial labour ministries. Data current as of September 11, 2026.

What makes the calculation vary from one province to another

Four parameters set the regimes apart. An employer operating in several provinces needs to check each of them before setting up their payroll system.

• The weekly threshold. Nine jurisdictions trigger overtime at 40 hours. Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island wait until 44 hours. Nova Scotia waits until 48 hours, the highest threshold in the country.
• The daily threshold. Several jurisdictions add a daily trigger, generally at 8 hours. An employee can therefore earn overtime even if their week totals less than 40 hours. Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces don’t apply any daily threshold.
• The calculation basis. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador calculate overtime on the minimum wage, not on the employee’s actual rate.
• Banked time. It’s allowed almost everywhere, but under conditions that vary, and New Brunswick prohibits it.

Weekly and daily thresholds by jurisdiction

Jurisdictions with a 40-hour threshold

Most jurisdictions use a 40-hour week. Quebec applies this threshold with no daily trigger, and the CNESST specifies that overtime applies beyond 40 hours even when the company’s standard work week is shorter.

The federal regime, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut add a daily threshold of 8 hours. An employee who works 10 hours on a Tuesday therefore earns 2 hours of overtime, regardless of their weekly total.

Saskatchewan works differently. The daily threshold depends on the scheduled shift: 8 hours for an 8-hour shift and 10 hours for a 10-hour shift. The employee receives whichever amount is greater between the daily and weekly calculation.

Jurisdictions with a 44-hour threshold

Ontario triggers overtime after 44 hours in a week, with no daily threshold. An employee who works four 11-hour shifts therefore earns no overtime.

Alberta combines both approaches, with a threshold of 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week. The employer pays whichever calculation is higher.

Prince Edward Island has just joined this group, and New Brunswick has been part of it for a long time.

Nova Scotia and its 48-hour threshold

Nova Scotia keeps the highest threshold in the country. The general rule, set out by the provincial Department of Labour, provides for 1.5 times the regular wage after 48 hours in a week.

One important nuance often escapes employers. Managers, supervisors and certain categories covered by a separate order receive 1.5 times the minimum wage rather than their own rate. The department looks at the actual duties performed, not the title on the contract.

Construction employees fall under a separate regime, with overtime after 110 hours over two weeks.

A time and attendance tool lets you configure these different parameters and flag when thresholds are exceeded in every pay period.

Two provinces that calculate on the minimum wage

New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador follow a particular logic. Overtime pay is calculated on the provincial minimum wage, not on the employee’s actual rate.

In New Brunswick, the government has set the minimum overtime rate at $23.85 an hour since April 1, 2026, which is 1.5 times the $15.90 minimum wage.

An employee paid $25 an hour who goes over 44 hours is therefore only entitled to $25 for the additional hours, since their regular rate already exceeds the legal floor. Newfoundland and Labrador applies the same mechanism, with a 40-hour threshold.

This rule only sets a floor for overtime in Canada. An employment contract or collective agreement can provide more, and many employers in these two provinces pay time and a half on the actual wage to stay competitive.

Federally regulated businesses

Banks, telecommunications, interprovincial transportation, ports and postal services aren’t subject to provincial standards. The Canada Labour Code governs their overtime.

The federal regime combines a daily threshold of 8 hours and a weekly threshold of 40 hours, with overtime paid at 1.5 times the regular wage. Employees can also receive equivalent time off, at a rate of 1.5 hours for each overtime hour worked.

One feature sets this regime apart from the provincial ones. Federally regulated employees have an explicit right to refuse overtime to meet family responsibilities, such as child care or caring for a family member.

This nuance matters for trucking companies that run interprovincial routes. The same driver can fall under the federal regime while the same employer’s administrative staff falls under the provincial one.

Banked time and time off in lieu

Where banked time is allowed

Most jurisdictions allow overtime pay to be replaced with time off, generally at a rate of 1.5 hours for each overtime hour worked. A written agreement is usually required.

Alberta is the exception on the ratio. Banked time there accumulates at one hour of time off per overtime hour, not 1.5.

Deadlines for using banked time vary. The Northwest Territories and Prince Edward Island require three months, Nova Scotia six months. New Brunswick prohibits banking altogether.

What Quebec counts as hours worked

Quebec applies a rule that often surprises managers. Annual vacation hours and statutory holiday hours count as hours worked when calculating overtime.

An employee who works 38 hours in a week that includes an 8-hour statutory holiday therefore reaches 46 hours for calculation purposes, and 6 hours must be paid at the overtime rate.

Evening or night premiums, on the other hand, aren’t added to the hourly rate used in the calculation. Overtime applies to the base rate only.

One last point deserves attention. In Quebec, an employer can’t impose banked time. Replacing overtime pay with time off is done at the employee’s request, unless a collective agreement provides otherwise.

What has changed in Prince Edward Island since June 2026

The overhaul of Prince Edward Island’s Employment Standards Act came into force on June 30, 2026. It lowers the standard work week from 48 to 44 hours, which moves the overtime trigger four hours earlier.

Employers that built their schedules on a 48-hour basis need to review their payroll settings. Some sectors keep a higher threshold, notably road construction, seafood processing and trucking, when the provincial board has authorized an order to that effect.

The reform also introduces averaging agreements, which allow hours to be averaged over two to four weeks through a written agreement. An employee who works 44 hours and then 50 hours accumulates 6 overtime hours without an agreement, compared to 3 hours with a two-week agreement.

Prince Edward Island now requires a written schedule provided at least one week in advance, a trend also seen in predictive scheduling laws in Canada.

Manage overtime in Canada without surprises

The real cost of overtime in Canada is decided when the schedule is built, not when payroll is processed. A shift added on a Thursday can push an entire week into overtime in one province and have no effect in the neighbouring one.

Employers who manage shift-based teams benefit from seeing the threshold approach in real time. Our article on employee scheduling for growing teams covers methods that limit unplanned overtime.

Evolia brings schedules, punched hours and each jurisdiction’s overtime rules together in a single tool. Book a demo to see how the platform applies these thresholds.

FAQ

When does overtime start in Canada?

The threshold depends on the jurisdiction. Nine jurisdictions, including Quebec and the federal regime, trigger overtime after 40 hours per week. Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island wait until 44 hours, and Nova Scotia until 48 hours. Several jurisdictions also add a daily threshold, generally set at 8 hours in a single day, which can trigger overtime even in a short week.

Is overtime always paid at time and a half?

The 1.5 rate applies everywhere in the country, but the calculation basis changes by province. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador calculate it on the provincial minimum wage rather than the employee’s actual rate. British Columbia goes further in the other direction and requires double the regular hourly rate beyond 12 hours worked in a single day.

Can an employer impose banked time?

No, in most jurisdictions. Quebec requires the request to come from the employee, unless a collective agreement or decree provides otherwise. Elsewhere, a written agreement between both parties is generally required. New Brunswick prohibits banking completely, so overtime there must be paid in money in the pay period concerned.

Do statutory holidays count when calculating overtime?

In Quebec, yes. Annual vacation hours and statutory holiday hours are considered hours worked for calculation purposes, which can push an entire week into overtime. The rule applies when the holiday falls on a day the employee normally works. The other jurisdictions have separate rules on this specific point, which should be confirmed with the relevant labour ministry.