Bus Driver Salary in Canada | Breakdown by Province

In Canada, the median wage for bus drivers is $25/hr.

Bus Drivers in Canada: job prospects, employment requirements, licensing.

Bus drivers are classified under NOC 73301 as bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators, drive buses or operate other transit vehicles to transport passengers safely along established routes in urban, intercity, school and specialized services. Approximately 101,000 people worked in this occupation in 2023. Job prospects are balanced nationally through 2033, with about 67,800 projected job openings roughly matching the expected 69,700 job seekers, supported by replacement demand from retirements and steady needs in public transit and school transportation.

Median hourly wages stand at about 25.00 Canadian dollars nationally, with typical ranges from 17.00 to 37.00 dollars per hour depending on experience, location, type of service such as school versus urban transit, and union status. Most positions require a valid commercial driver’s licence with appropriate endorsements, a clean driving record, and completion of a bus operator training program, with work conditions often involving full-time or part-time shift schedules including early mornings, evenings, weekends and split shifts, prolonged sitting, interaction with the public, and exposure to varying traffic and weather conditions.

Licensing

If a trade is regulated in the province or territory you wish to settle in, contact the regulatory authority and/or apprenticeship office in that province or territory.

BUS OPERATOR (NOC 73301)
2025	Wages/hr
Community/Area	Low	Median	High
Canada	17.18	25.00	37.68
Newfoundland and Labrador	16.35	21.00	28.85
Prince Edward Island	17.00	23.50	28.21
Nova Scotia	19.98	25.00	30.40
New Brunswick	20.00	23.60	27.50
Quebec	17.86	23.50	34.60
Ontario	17.60	22.43	38.00
Manitoba	18.00	24.00	31.00
Saskatchewan	16.00	22.00	30.00
Alberta	16.25	27.50	37.00
British Columbia	21.00	31.11	40.19
Yukon Territory	27.10	35.96	43.83
Northwest Territories	19.97	28.20	34.59
Nunavut	19.75	22.50	37.71
Source: Job Bank. 2026

In 2022, bus drivers reported higher wages in Alberta

BUS OPERATOR (NOC 73301)
2022	Wages ($/hour)
Province/Territory	Low	Median	High
Canada	16	23.5	36
Newfoundland and Labrador	14.5	21.95	25
Prince Edward Island	17	22	24.88
Nova Scotia	18	24.02	28.62
New Brunswick	15	20.28	25
Quebec	15.05	21	31.56
Ontario	15.5	21.15	36
Manitoba	16.87	25	29.5
Saskatchewan	16.04	21.33	30
Alberta	17	28	36.5
British Columbia	20	28.61	35
Yukon Territory	24.6	24.97	27
Northwest Territories	20	24.5	35
Nunavut	20.85	26	30.98
Source: Job Bank. 2023

In 2016, bus drivers reported higher wages in Alberta.

BUS DRIVERS, SUBWAY OPERATORS AND OTHER TRANSIT OPERATORS (NOC 7512-C)
2017	Wages ($/hr)
Province/Territory	Low	Median	High
Canada	12.5	20.41	32.67
Alberta	15.5	25.5	34.01
Ontario	14	19	33
Newfoundland and Labrador	12	19	32.5
British Columbia	17	25.98	31.2
Québec	13	18.65	28.5
Saskatchewan	13.33	18	27.69
Manitoba	13.4	20	26.3
Nova Scotia	15	22.52	25.98
New Brunswick	17	19.67	23.63
Prince Edward Island	13.5	19.38	21.65
Northwest Territories	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nunavut	N/A	N/A	N/A
Yukon	N/A	N/A	N/A
Source: Job Bank. September 2017

According to the latest data from the Job Bank, the bus driver median wage was $20.12/hr. in 2016.

In 2016, bus drivers reported the highest wages in Alberta.

BUS DRIVERS, SUBWAY OPERATORS AND OTHER TRANSIT OPERATORS (NOC 7512-C)
2016	Wages ($/hr)
Province/Territory	Low	Median	High
Canada	12.23	20.12	32
Alberta	15	25.5	35
Ontario	11.4	18	32
British Columbia	17	24.5	31
Saskatchewan	12.5	18.75	28.85
Québec	12.5	18.8	28
Newfoundland and Labrador	10.5	18	27
Manitoba	12.82	19.68	26
Nova Scotia	13.5	22	25.47
New Brunswick	15.42	19.28	23.6
Prince Edward Island	13	19	21
Northwest Territories	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nunavut	N/A	N/A	N/A
Yukon	N/A	N/A	N/A
Source: Job Bank. November 2016*

*Wages are reviewed and updated on the Job Bank Web site on an annual basis.

BUS DRIVER SALARY IN CANADA (2017)

BUS DRIVER SALARY IN CANADA (2016)