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- Minimum Wage Increase in Ontario: Here’s a 16-Year Recap
Minimum Wage Increase in Ontario: Here’s a 16-Year Recap
- Minimum wage
Alana Pratt, HR Advisory Manager
(Last updated )
Alana Pratt, HR Advisory Manager
(Last updated )
Effective October 1, 2025, the minimum wage in Ontario has increased to
$17.60 per hour
from $17.20 per hour. The special minimum wages for homeworkers,
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students under 18
, and hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides have also increased.
This 2.4 percent annualized wage increase is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) and brings Ontario’s minimum wage to the fourth highest among Canadian provinces and territories, following Nunavut ($19.00), Yukon ($17.94), and
British Columbia ($17.85)
.
How has the Ontario minimum wage progressed over the years?
If we take a look at the last 15 years, the increase in hourly pay had been a gradual progression till 2017. Below is an outline of the minimum wage progress over the last 16 years.
What happened to the scheduled Ontario minimum wage increase to $15 from January 1, 2019?
The Liberal government’s
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Bill 148 was repealed
when the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario came to power in 2018. Through
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Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act
, the new government reversed some changes the Ontario Liberal Party had made to Ontario’s employment laws.
Bill 47 cancelled the scheduled minimum wage increase.
Where does this Ontario minimum wage increase take us in 2025?
Effective October 1, 2025, the minimum wage rates per hour are as follows:
General minimum wage:
$17.60 per hour
Student minimum wage:
$16.60 per hour
Homeworkers wage:
$19.35 per hour
Hunting, fishing, & wilderness guides minimum wage:
$88.05 per day (less than five consecutive hours in a day); $176.15 per day (five or more hours in a day, whether or not the hours are consecutive).
Do you have questions about the recent minimum wage increase?
Our experts can help you with any questions related to employee pay or provide any HR, health and safety, or employment advice you may need.
As a trusted HR and
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health & safety
consulting company, Peninsula serves over 6,500 small businesses across Canada. Peninsula’s clients receive ongoing updates of their
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workplace documentation
and policies as legislation changes. They also benefit from 24/7 employer
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HR advice
and are supported by legal assistance.
To learn more about how our services can benefit your business, call an expert today at
1 (833) 247-3652
Do you need help navigating minimum wage increase in Ontario?
Our experts are available 24/7 to guide you through the latest minimum wage changes, updates to legislation, correct pay, and more.
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