Here's what you need to know about Ontario's minimum wage increase on Oct. 1
The lowest-paid workers in Ottawa and eastern Ontario will receive a $1.05 an hour pay bump this weekend.
Ontario's minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16.55 an hour starting on Oct. 1. The student minimum wage will increase $1 an hour to $15.60.
The Ontario government says the 6.8 per cent increase in the minimum wage means up to $2,200 more in workers' pockets every year.
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"Starting Sunday, October 1, Ontario’s minimum wage will increase from $15.50 to $16.55 per hour, helping more than 900,000 hard-working men and women across our province earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families," David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, said in a statement.
"Our government is continuing to deliver steady and predictable annual increases, helping families offset the rising cost of living while also providing certainty to businesses by announcing this increase six months in advance. Minimum wage jobs should be for the start of a worker’s career, not the end."
The minimum wage has increased from $14.25 per hour to $16.55 an hour since 2020.
Here is a look at the new minimum wage rates as of Oct. 1.
General minimum wage
The general minimum wage increases to $16.55 per hour.
Liquor servers receive the same minimum wage of $16.55 an hour, after the Ontario government eliminated the special rate for liquor servers in 2022.
Student minimum wage
The student minimum wage increases from $14.60 an hour to $15.60 an hour, starting Oct. 1.
The student minimum wage rate applies to 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.
Work from home
The minimum wage for people working from home in Ontario increases from $17.05 an hour to $18.20 an hour.
The Ontario government says the homeworkers minimum wage is for employees who do paid work in their own homes.
"For example, they may sew clothes for a clothing manufacturer, answer telephone calls for a call centre, or write software for a high-tech company."
Minimum wage rates by province
- Ontario - $16.55 an hour (as of Oct. 1)
- Quebec - $15.25 an hour
- British Columbia - $16.75 an hour
- Alberta - $15 an hour
- Saskatchewan - $14 an hour (As of Oct. 1)
- Manitoba - $15.30 an hour (as of Oct. 1)
- New Brunswick - $14.75 an hour
- Nova Scotia - $15 an hour (as of Oct. 1)
- Prince Edward Island - $15 an hour (as of Oct. 1)
- Newfoundland and Labrador - $15 an hour (as of Oct. 1)
- Yukon - $16.77 an hour
- Northwest Territories - $16.05 an hour
- Nunavut - $16 an hour
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