Major wage settlements by COLA and year
Publication date: January 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 | 742,447 | 42.8 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 217 | 739,654 | 42.7 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2 | 2,793 | 60.0 | 10.9 | 4.1 |
| 2019 | 262 | 626,208 | 43.3 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 261 | 625,708 | 43.3 | 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 | 184 | 1,036,803 | 42.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 180 | 984,924 | 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 | 162 | 723,423 | 42.9 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 152 | 693,398 | 43.2 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 10 | 30,025 | 36.1 | 7.2 | 4.6 |
| 2024 | 178 | 1,215,075 | 50.4 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 149 | 634,310 | 42.3 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 29 | 580,765 | 59.2 | 6.1 | 3.7 |
| 2025 | 154 | 733,371 | 44.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 150 | 728,843 | 44.9 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 4 | 4,528 | 50.0 | 7.4 | 4.6 |
| 2026 | 4 | 7,250 | 42.4 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4 | 7,250 | 42.4 | 3.7 | 3.3 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the month of January. 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 | 94 | 175,687 | 42.4 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 93 | 175,187 | 42.4 | 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 | 63 | 225,105 | 48.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 60 | 215,226 | 48.9 | 2.0 | 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 | 51 | 115,752 | 42.4 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 47 | 96,752 | 43.7 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 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 | 49 | 270,690 | 47.6 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 47 | 268,172 | 47.5 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 2 | 2,518 | 54.4 | 10.7 | 5.3 |
| 2026 | 3 | 3,807 | 48.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3 | 3,807 | 48.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the month of January. 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 | 523,231 | 40.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 139 | 523,231 | 40.8 | 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 | 111 | 607,671 | 43.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 105 | 596,646 | 43.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 6 | 11,025 | 36.3 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| 2024 | 134 | 1,118,249 | 51.3 | 4.9 | 3.4 | 107 | 540,974 | 42.8 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 27 | 577,275 | 59.4 | 6.1 | 3.7 |
| 2025 | 105 | 462,681 | 43.4 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 103 | 460,671 | 43.4 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2 | 2,010 | 44.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| 2026 | 1 | 3,443 | 36.0 | 3.5 | 2.7 | 1 | 3,443 | 36.0 | 3.5 | 2.7 | – | – | – | – | – |
Legend: The dash (–) symbol indicates missing data.
Note: Data for 2026 cover the month of January. 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.