The average pharmacist salary in Canada is $95,000-$120,000 per year. This guide breaks down pharmacist pay by province, practice setting, and experience.

Pharmacist Salary by Province

Province Average Entry Level Experienced
Alberta $115,000 $95,000 $130,000
Ontario $105,000 $88,000 $125,000
British Columbia $108,000 $90,000 $125,000
Quebec $95,000 $78,000 $115,000
Saskatchewan $110,000 $92,000 $125,000
Manitoba $105,000 $88,000 $120,000
Nova Scotia $100,000 $82,000 $118,000
New Brunswick $98,000 $80,000 $115,000
Newfoundland $102,000 $85,000 $120,000
PEI $95,000 $78,000 $112,000
Territories $130,000+ $110,000 $150,000

Salary by Practice Setting

Setting Average Salary Hourly Rate
Community/Retail $105,000 $50
Hospital $100,000 $48
Clinical Pharmacist $110,000 $53
Pharmacy Manager $125,000 $60
Long-Term Care $108,000 $52
Industry (Pharma) $115,000 $55
Government $95,000 $46
Academia $90,000 $43

Salary by Experience

Experience Salary Hourly
New grad (0-2 years) $88,000 $42
2-5 years $100,000 $48
5-10 years $112,000 $54
10+ years $120,000+ $58+
Pharmacy Owner $150,000-$300,000+ Varies

Take-Home Pay (Ontario Example)

Gross Salary Annual Take-Home Monthly Net
$95,000 $69,500 $5,790
$110,000 $78,500 $6,540
$125,000 $87,000 $7,250

Pharmacy Owners

Pharmacy owners can earn significantly more:

Ownership Type Annual Income
Single Store Owner $150,000-$250,000
Multi-Store Owner $250,000-$500,000+
Franchise Owner $120,000-$200,000

Note: Ownership requires significant capital investment ($300K-$1M+).

Benefits & Compensation

Benefit Typical Value
Health/Dental Full coverage
RRSP Matching 3-5%
Continuing Education $1,500-$3,000/year
Paid Vacation 3-4 weeks
Overtime Pay Common in retail

Job Market Outlook

  • Demand: Steady, growing with aging population
  • Retail saturation: Some urban markets competitive
  • Expanding scope: Injectable medications, prescribing authority
  • Telehealth: Growing opportunities

Is Pharmacy a Good Career in Canada?

Pros:

  • Stable, recession-resistant
  • Good work-life balance (hospital)
  • Expanding scope of practice
  • Ownership opportunities
  • Respected profession

Cons:

  • Retail can be demanding
  • Student debt from 4-year program
  • Standing for long hours
  • Dealing with difficult customers
  • Corporate pressure on metrics
Tags: