Security guard minimum wage in Quebec rises to $20.60 an hour
Since June 28, 2026, a Class A security guard earns at least $20.60 an hour. Rates, classes, the 2027 increase and your recourse.
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The Decree respecting security guards sets the minimum wage of security agency guards in Quebec, whether the guard is unionized or not. Since June 28, 2026, a Class A guard cannot be paid less than $20.60 an hour. Here is what section 4.07 of the Decree says, what the increase changes on your pay and what to do if your employer does not apply it.
What is the minimum hourly rate for a security guard in 2026?
Since June 28, 2026, the minimum rate is $20.60 an hour in Class A and $20.85 an hour in Class B. Before that date, it was $20.09 and $20.34. The table in section 4.07 of the Decree gives every step since 2023, including the last increase already scheduled for 2027.
| Effective | Class A | Class B | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2, 2023 | $19.34 | $19.59 | — |
| June 30, 2024 | $19.69 | $19.94 | +$0.35 (1.8%) |
| June 29, 2025 | $20.09 | $20.34 | +$0.40 (2.0%) |
| June 28, 2026 | $20.60 | $20.85 | +$0.51 (2.5%) |
| July 4, 2027 | $21.10 | $21.35 | +$0.50 (2.4%) |
The percentages are our own calculation based on the Class A rate, rounded to one decimal.
How much is the June 28, 2026 increase worth?
In Class A, the rate goes from $20.09 to $20.60, which is $0.51 more an hour, an increase of about 2.5%. It is the largest annual increase in the table since 2023. In Class B, the gap is the same: from $20.34 to $20.85.
Over a regular 40-hour week, $0.51 an hour adds up to $20.40 more gross per week. Over a full year of 2,080 hours, that comes to about $1,060 more gross.
What is the difference between Class A, Class A on call and Class B?
Section 1.01 of the Decree defines the classes of employees:
- Class A: the employee who performs security work without a higher class applying to them. This is the basic guard.
- Class A on call: the same work, but without a fixed work schedule. The table in section 4.07 does not give this class a separate rate. The employee is entitled to the Class A rate.
- Class B: the employee responsible for directing or supervising one or more Class A or Class B employees. The rate is $0.25 an hour higher than the Class A rate.
A Class B employee who directs or supervises Class B employees receives another $0.25 an hour more than the Class B rate, under section 4.07. That minimum is therefore $21.10 since June 28, 2026, then $21.60 as of July 4, 2027.
Does the increase apply automatically?
Yes. You do not have to ask for anything. Under section 11 of the Act respecting collective agreement decrees, the provisions of a decree are public policy. Section 12 adds that it is forbidden to pay a wage lower than the one the decree sets, and that the employee is entitled to it despite any agreement to the contrary. A contract signed at $20.09 an hour therefore does not allow the employer to keep that rate after June 28, 2026.
The Decree's rates are minimums. Section 13 of the same Act allows a more advantageous contract. If you were already earning more than $20.60, the employer is not required to give you a raise, unless your contract or a collective agreement provides for it. The hourly premiums did not change on June 28, 2026, and they are still added to the base rate. Our guide to the Decree's premiums lists them in detail.
How does this rate compare with the general minimum wage?
According to the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board), the general minimum wage in Quebec has been $16.60 an hour since May 1, 2026. The minimum for a Class A guard is $4.00 an hour higher, or about 24%.
| Rate | Per hour | Gross per year (40 h × 52 wk) |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum wage (May 1, 2026) | $16.60 | $34,528 |
| Class A guard (June 28, 2026) | $20.60 | $42,848 |
| Class B guard (June 28, 2026) | $20.85 | $43,368 |
| Class B who directs Class B employees | $21.10 | $43,888 |
How much does a guard earn at the minimum over a year?
At 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, or 2,080 hours, a Class A guard paid the minimum earns $42,848 gross a year. This calculation counts neither premiums nor overtime. Hours worked in 2026 before June 28 were paid at the $20.09 rate, so the actual gross for the 2026 calendar year will be a little lower. To find out what is left after deductions, see our article on a security guard's net pay in 2026.
How do you check your pay and claim back pay?
On your pay stub, first check the base hourly rate for hours worked from June 28, 2026. It must be at least $20.60 in Class A or $20.85 in Class B. Then check that the premiums you are entitled to do appear on top of it.
If the rate is too low, the Comité paritaire des agents de sécurité (the parity committee that enforces the Decree) sees that the Decree is applied. It can claim the difference from the employer on behalf of employees, and the Act also allows it to recover an amount equal to 20% of that difference (section 22 of the Act). Complaints are confidential. Do not wait: under section 28, the civil action is prescribed by one year from each due date. Keep your pay stubs and write down your hours. The committee's role is explained in our article on the security guards' decree.
When is the next increase?
On July 4, 2027, the minimum rate will rise to $21.10 in Class A and $21.35 in Class B. That is the last column of the table in section 4.07. No increase is listed there after that date. Our article on security guard pay in 2027 presents this change and what could follow.
Until then, it is mostly the premiums that make pay vary from one post to another. Our comparison of the best-paid security guards shows how high they can go.
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Frequently asked questions
What will the pay increase be for a security guard in Quebec in 2026?
In Quebec, the 2026 increase is $0.51 an hour, or about 2.5%, according to the table in section 4.07 of the Decree. It has been in effect since June 28, 2026: the minimum rate went from $20.09 to $20.60 in Class A and from $20.34 to $20.85 in Class B. Over 2,080 hours, that comes to about $1,060 more gross a year.
What increase is scheduled for security guards in 2026?
In Quebec, the Decree respecting security guards provides for 2026 an increase of $0.51 an hour in the minimum rate of agency guards, applied on June 28, 2026. The minimum is $20.60 an hour in Class A and $20.85 in Class B. The hourly premiums did not change. The following increase, of $0.50 an hour, is scheduled for July 4, 2027.
Can a beginner guard be paid less than $20.60?
No. The table in section 4.07 provides no reduced rate for beginners or employees on probation. The Class A minimum applies from the first hour.
My employer forgot the increase on a few pays. What should I do?
First ask your employer for the correction in writing. If the employer refuses, contact the Comité paritaire, which can claim the back pay for you. Act within the year that follows each pay in question.
Did the premiums go up on June 28, 2026?
No. According to the table in section 4.07, the hourly premiums are the same as in 2025, for example $1.00 an hour for the P-11 night premium. Only the base rates for Class A and Class B changed.
What is the minimum wage for a security guard in Quebec?
In Quebec, the minimum wage of a security agency guard is $20.60 an hour in Class A and $20.85 in Class B since June 28, 2026, under section 4.07 of the Decree. The general minimum wage is $16.60 an hour, according to the CNESST. The comparison is in the section "How does this rate compare with the general minimum wage?".
What is the pay scale for security guards in 2026?
In Quebec, the table in section 4.07 of the Decree has set, since June 28, 2026, a minimum rate of $20.60 an hour in Class A and $20.85 in Class B. Under the same section, a Class B employee who directs Class B employees receives $0.25 more, or $21.10. A Class A on call employee is entitled to the Class A rate, and the table provides no reduced rate for beginners or employees on probation.
What is a security guard's total pay in 2026?
In Quebec, an agency guard's pay starts from the Decree minimum, $20.60 an hour in Class A since June 28, 2026, or $42,848 gross a year at 40 hours a week. The hourly premiums are added to the base rate, for example $1.00 an hour for the P-11 night premium. See the Decree's premiums and net pay in 2026.
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