Waiter / waitress

Waiter and waitress pay and hiring in Canada

Updated 11 November 2026

A waiter or waitress in Canada usually earns between CA$15 and CA$30 per hour, and the average in Ontario is about CA$17.64 per hour, with tips usually on top. The quickest way to see what a venue in your city pays today is a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Licences and rules by province

Requirements change by province and territory, so the same job can need different papers in Toronto and in Vancouver. In British Columbia the online Serving It Right exam costs CA$40 plus GST and includes three attempts at the final exam. Many listings also ask for valid work status in Canada, so state it in your request.

Season and shift patterns

Canada has a northern-hemisphere calendar: winter runs from December to February and summer from June to August. Hiring is active now, with 9,804 waiter jobs listed across Canada in November 2026 on one job site. Ask whether hours change between summer and winter, because a seasonal shift and a permanent one are different offers.

How pay is quoted

Pay is quoted per hour and is usually gross, before income tax. Compare offers on the same basis: a base wage with tips, a base wage with gratuities, and a yearly salary are not directly comparable. Name the city in your request, because the venue's location decides which employers and sellers can answer for it.

What to write in the request

Describe the type of venue (a cafe, a full-service restaurant or a hotel dining room), the schedule and hours per week, the hourly pay you offer or expect, and whether tips or gratuities are included. Add the workplace and city, the languages needed, the workload such as the number of tables or covers, the work experience required and any branding or dress standard. A photo of the menu or the workplace helps.

BlaBlaPrice is free for buyers. You describe the job in your own words in a chat, and our AI asks for any missing details and looks through sellers' websites and price lists in Canada, then shows the prices and businesses it found. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice receive the request and reply in the chat with their own offer, with pay and terms. Your contacts stay hidden, and you decide with whom to exchange them. Start from the home page, or compare with bartender and barista listings.