News Business
Ontario looks to raise minimum wage to $15/hour

Ontario will introduce legislation that, if passed, would raise the general minimum wage from $14.35 to $15.00 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2022.

“Ontario’s workers have been the unsung heroes of this pandemic, as they’ve stocked shelves, kept our supply chain moving and helped so many of us enjoy a meal among family and friends at a local restaurant,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford earlier this week. “When we asked labour leaders what their priorities were, increasing the minimum wage was at the top of the list.”

The Ontario government says it is introducing legislation to increase minimum wages as the cost of living has increased considerably over the past several months, but wages for many have not kept pace.

Changes will also be made to special minimum wage rates.

Students under the age of 18 who work 28 hours a week or less when school is in session, or work during a school break or summer holidays, would see an increase from $13.50 to $14.10 an hour.

Homeworkers (those who do paid work out of their own homes for employers) would see an increase from $15.80 an hour to $16.50 an hour.

Other special minimum wage rate increases include those for liquor servers and hunting and fishing guides.

From January to August 2021, there were 763,500 workers at or below the proposed general minimum wage of $15 in Ontario, according to a 2021 StatsCan Labour Force Survey. Most minimum wage earners are women. Nearly 37 per cent of workers at or below the proposed general minimum wage of $15 per hour are in retail trade ,and almost 24 per cent are in accommodation and food services – industries employing the most minimum wage earners.

The provincial government last increased the minimum wage in October 2021 by 10 cents to $14.35, based on the 2020 annual Consumer Price Index increase.