Ontario's Minimum Wage to Increase Starting From October 1, 2024
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Starting from October 1, 2024, Ontario's minimum wage is getting hype. The general minimum wage is set to rise from $16.55 to $17.20 per hour. This increase puts Ontario just behind British Columbia, which has the highest provincial minimum wage at $17.40 per hour since June 1.
The raise translates to a 3.9% increase, which matches the inflation rate reflected in the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI). For someone working a full 40-hour week at this new minimum wage, it means an annual pay hike of about $1,355.
Special Minimum Wages Also on the Rise
Ontario's wage increase isn’t just for the general minimum wage. Special categories of workers are also seeing a boost.
- Students: If you're under 18 and working part-time jobs in Canada, Ontario (28 hours or less during the school year or full-time during breaks), your wage is going up from $15.60 to $16.20 per hour.
- Liquor Servers: This group will see their pay rise from $16.55 to $17.20 per hour. Fun fact: Ontario used to have a different rate for liquor servers, but they leveled it with the general minimum wage back in January 2022.
- Homeworkers: Those who work from home will see their hourly wage jump from $18.20 to $18.90.
- Hunting, Fishing, and Wilderness Guides: For guides working less than 5 consecutive hours, the minimum daily rate will increase from $82.85 to $86.00. If you’re working 5 or more hours in a day, regardless of whether the hours are consecutive, your pay goes up from $165.75 to $172.05.
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Minimum Living Wage in Ontario
Even with these increases, the new minimum wage in Ontario is still falling short of the living wage – the amount needed to cover basic living costs.
According to the Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN), the living wage in many parts of the province is around $19 per hour and can go over $25 in the Greater Toronto Area.
| Region | Minimum Living Wage |
|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area | $25.05 |
| Grey Bruce Perth Huron Simcoe | $22.75 |
| Dufferin Waterloo Guelph-Wellington | $20.90 |
| Brant Niagara Haldimand, and Norfolk | $20.35 |
| North | $19.80 |
| Ottawa | $21.95 |
| East | $20.60 |
| Hamilton | $20.80 |
| Southwest | $18.65 |
| London Elgin, and Oxford | $18.85 |
All Set to Immigrate to Ontario, Canada?
This wage hike is a step in the right direction, but there’s still more work to be done to meet Ontario's living costs. However, the positive efforts being put in is a sign of the willingness of the nation to adapt the province to make it suitable for residents and immigrants.
Are you also an aspirant to Ontario? Well, look no further than GetGIS. Our experts are dedicated to put in every extra effort from eligibility sorting to document handling, post-landing services, and more to ensure that your transition to Canada is smooth and worry-free.
