Major wage settlements by COLA and year
Publication date: May 31, 2026
All sectors
| Total | Without COLA | With COLA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | |
| 2017 | 225 | 869,892 | 39.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 221 | 865,219 | 39.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 4 | 4,673 | 45.3 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| 2018 | 219 | 739,207 | 42.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 217 | 736,414 | 42.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2 | 2,793 | 60.0 | 10.9 | 4.1 |
| 2019 | 261 | 624,088 | 43.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 260 | 623,588 | 43.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1 | 500 | 36.0 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
| 2020 | 181 | 803,219 | 41.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 173 | 716,449 | 40.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 8 | 86,770 | 45.6 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| 2021 | 185 | 1,037,633 | 42.8 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 181 | 985,754 | 42.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 4 | 51,879 | 40.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
| 2022 | 146 | 620,599 | 43.4 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 143 | 615,731 | 43.5 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3 | 4,868 | 35.9 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| 2023 | 165 | 724,858 | 43.0 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 155 | 694,833 | 43.3 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 10 | 30,025 | 36.1 | 7.2 | 4.6 |
| 2024 | 181 | 1,216,199 | 50.4 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 152 | 635,434 | 42.3 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 29 | 580,765 | 59.2 | 6.1 | 3.7 |
| 2025 | 160 | 765,941 | 44.7 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 155 | 751,313 | 44.4 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 5 | 14,628 | 56.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 |
| 2026 | 29 | 169,103 | 48.4 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 29 | 169,103 | 48.4 | 4.1 | 3.2 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the months of January through May. Major settlements are those involving bargaining units of 500 or more employees. For additional information, please see the Technical notes.
Source: Strategic Policy, Analysis, and Workplace Information Directorate, Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada.
Private sector
| Total | Without COLA | With COLA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | |
| 2017 | 77 | 195,068 | 44.9 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 73 | 190,395 | 44.9 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 4 | 4,673 | 45.3 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| 2018 | 80 | 219,216 | 47.5 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 78 | 216,423 | 47.3 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2 | 2,793 | 60.0 | 10.9 | 4.1 |
| 2019 | 93 | 173,567 | 42.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 92 | 173,067 | 42.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1 | 500 | 36.0 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
| 2020 | 59 | 131,211 | 46.7 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 53 | 103,441 | 49.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 6 | 27,770 | 35.9 | 2.5 | 1.8 |
| 2021 | 64 | 225,935 | 48.7 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 61 | 216,056 | 48.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 3 | 9,879 | 43.1 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| 2022 | 45 | 142,476 | 45.0 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 44 | 139,766 | 45.1 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 1 | 2,710 | 35.9 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| 2023 | 52 | 118,869 | 42.4 | 6.7 | 4.4 | 48 | 99,869 | 43.6 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 4 | 19,000 | 36.1 | 9.5 | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 44 | 96,826 | 39.5 | 5.8 | 4.1 | 42 | 93,336 | 40.0 | 5.6 | 4.0 | 2 | 3,490 | 26.8 | 12.8 | 8.6 |
| 2025 | 51 | 292,390 | 46.8 | 6.0 | 4.2 | 48 | 279,772 | 46.2 | 6.1 | 4.2 | 3 | 12,618 | 58.9 | 4.9 | 3.8 |
| 2026 | 10 | 34,578 | 51.6 | 8.1 | 4.1 | 10 | 34,578 | 51.6 | 8.1 | 4.1 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the months of January through May. Major settlements are those involving bargaining units of 500 or more employees. For additional information, please see the Technical notes.
Source: Strategic Policy, Analysis, and Workplace Information Directorate, Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada.
Public sector
| Total | Without COLA | With COLA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | Number of agreements | Number of employees | Duration of agreements in months (average) | First year percentage adjustment (average) | Annual percentage adjustment (average) | |
| 2017 | 148 | 674,824 | 38.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 148 | 674,824 | 38.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018 | 139 | 519,991 | 40.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 139 | 519,991 | 40.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2019 | 168 | 450,521 | 43.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 168 | 450,521 | 43.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2020 | 122 | 672,008 | 40.4 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 120 | 613,008 | 39.4 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2 | 59,000 | 50.2 | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 121 | 811,698 | 41.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 120 | 769,698 | 41.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1 | 42,000 | 39.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 101 | 478,123 | 43.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 99 | 475,965 | 43.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2 | 2,158 | 36.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| 2023 | 113 | 605,989 | 43.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 107 | 594,964 | 43.3 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 6 | 11,025 | 36.3 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| 2024 | 137 | 1,119,373 | 51.3 | 4.9 | 3.4 | 110 | 542,098 | 42.8 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 27 | 577,275 | 59.4 | 6.1 | 3.7 |
| 2025 | 109 | 473,551 | 43.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 107 | 471,541 | 43.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2 | 2,010 | 44.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| 2026 | 19 | 134,525 | 47.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 19 | 134,525 | 47.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the months of January through May. Major settlements are those involving bargaining units of 500 or more employees. For additional information, please see the Technical notes.
Source: Strategic Policy, Analysis, and Workplace Information Directorate, Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada.