Median wage in Canada
$18.00 an hour
Highest median wage
$28.37 an hour
Yukon
Lowest median wage
$16.40 an hour
New Brunswick
Very good job outlook
1 province or territory
Job Bank, 2025-2027
Wages by province and territory
Median wage in Canadian dollars an hour, from 2023-2024 data (Job Bank 2025 release).
Median hourly wage for cooks by province and territory Canada: $18.00 (low $15.00, high $25.00). Yukon: $28.37 (low $20.00, high $41.67). Northwest Territories: $25.00 (low $18.50, high $37.50). Nunavut: $25.00 (low $19.00, high $35.00). British Columbia: $20.00 (low $17.85, high $26.00). Ontario: $18.00 (low $17.60, high $24.00). Prince Edward Island: $18.00 (low $16.50, high $25.73). Quebec: $18.00 (low $16.10, high $25.00). Alberta: $17.50 (low $15.00, high $23.50). Newfoundland and Labrador: $17.00 (low $16.00, high $27.54). Nova Scotia: $17.00 (low $16.50, high $22.50). Saskatchewan: $17.00 (low $15.35, high $23.08). Manitoba: $16.50 (low $16.00, high $21.00). New Brunswick: $16.40 (low $15.65, high $22.00). $0 $20 $40 $60 Canada: $18.00 (low $15.00, high $25.00) Canada $18.00 Yukon: $28.37 (low $20.00, high $41.67) Yukon $28.37 Northwest Territories: $25.00 (low $18.50, high $37.50) Northwest Territories $25.00 Nunavut: $25.00 (low $19.00, high $35.00) Nunavut $25.00 British Columbia: $20.00 (low $17.85, high $26.00) British Columbia $20.00 Ontario: $18.00 (low $17.60, high $24.00) Ontario $18.00 Prince Edward Island: $18.00 (low $16.50, high $25.73) Prince Edward Island $18.00 Quebec: $18.00 (low $16.10, high $25.00) Quebec $18.00 Alberta: $17.50 (low $15.00, high $23.50) Alberta $17.50 Newfoundland and Labrador: $17.00 (low $16.00, high $27.54) Newfoundland and Labrador $17.00 Nova Scotia: $17.00 (low $16.50, high $22.50) Nova Scotia $17.00 Saskatchewan: $17.00 (low $15.35, high $23.08) Saskatchewan $17.00 Manitoba: $16.50 (low $16.00, high $21.00) Manitoba $16.50 New Brunswick: $16.40 (low $15.65, high $22.00) New Brunswick $16.40 Bars show the median wage. Lines run from the low to the high wage, which are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles. Grey is all of Canada.
Job outlook by province and territory
Job Bank’s 3-year outlook for 2025-2027, on a scale of 1 (very limited) to 5 (very good).
Job outlook for cooks by province and territory, 1 to 5 Yukon: Moderate (3 of 5). Northwest Territories: Moderate (3 of 5). Nunavut: Limited (2 of 5). British Columbia: Moderate (3 of 5). Ontario: Limited (2 of 5). Prince Edward Island: Very good (5 of 5). Quebec: Limited (2 of 5). Alberta: Limited (2 of 5). Newfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5). Nova Scotia: Good (4 of 5). Saskatchewan: Moderate (3 of 5). Manitoba: Moderate (3 of 5). New Brunswick: Good (4 of 5). 1 2 3 4 5 Yukon: Moderate (3 of 5) Yukon Moderate Northwest Territories: Moderate (3 of 5) Northwest Territories Moderate Nunavut: Limited (2 of 5) Nunavut Limited British Columbia: Moderate (3 of 5) British Columbia Moderate Ontario: Limited (2 of 5) Ontario Limited Prince Edward Island: Very good (5 of 5) Prince Edward Island Very good Quebec: Limited (2 of 5) Quebec Limited Alberta: Limited (2 of 5) Alberta Limited Newfoundland and Labrador: Moderate (3 of 5) Newfoundland and Labrador Moderate Nova Scotia: Good (4 of 5) Nova Scotia Good Saskatchewan: Moderate (3 of 5) Saskatchewan Moderate Manitoba: Moderate (3 of 5) Manitoba Moderate New Brunswick: Good (4 of 5) New Brunswick Good 1 is a very limited outlook and 5 a very good one.
Licence needed?
Not required. Certification is available but optional in 13 provinces or territories: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.
Each regulator sets its own steps, fees and exams.
Education and training
TEER category 3
Usual education A college diploma or an apprenticeship of less than 2 years is usually required.
Wages from 2023-2024 data, Job Bank 2025 release. Job outlooks for 2025-2027.
Occupation titles, codes and TEER categories come from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Statistics Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada .