Effective October 1, 2024, general minimum wage rates in Ontario have increased from $16.55 to $17.20 per hour.
The increase was in response to the rising costs of living in the province, taking into consideration the CPI (Consumer Price Index) which provides a balanced analysis of the costs of essential goods and services. The CPI rose by 3.9 percent, resulting in an increase
in the minimum wage of 65 cents an hour, to $17.20. The increase was initially announced in March 28, 2024, and follows the recent increase on October 1, 2023, that raised the general minimum wage rate to $16.55.
Minimum wage is the lowest wage rate an employer can pay an employee. Most employees are eligible for minimum wage, whether they are full-time, part-time, casual employees, or are paid an hourly rate, commission, piece rate, flat rate or salary. Some employees have jobs that are exempt from the minimum wage provisions of the Employment Standards Act of Ontario. See Industries and jobs with Employment Standards Act exemptions and/or special rules
for information on these job categories.
Who does the Ontario minimum wage rate increase affect and how?
Most employees fall under the general minimum wage category, regardless of the status of the hours of work (i.e. full-time, part-time, casual) or how they are paid (i.e. hourly rate, salary, commission, piece rate, flat rate). However, with the incoming change, the
specialized minimum wage rates are expected to increase on October 1, 2024, from their current wage rates:
Students
In or around October 1, 2024, the minimum wage will increase to $16.20 per hour for Ontario students, which is an increase from October 2023 wage rates of $15.60 per hour. This applies to students who are under the age of 18 and work 28 hours or less a week during the school term. This is inclusive of scheduled school breaks and summer holidays.
Liquor Servers
Since the October 2023 change in wage rate for liquor servers, there will not be an increase in this category for the mandated October 1, 2024, increases.
Hunting, Fishing and Wilderness Guides
The hunting, fishing and wilderness guides’ wages will also increase on October 1, 2024, to $86.00 for working less than five consecutive hours in a day, and $172.05 for working five or more hours in a day, regardless of the hours being consecutive or not. These categories of workers are not paid by the hour, rather by blocks of time.
Homeworkers
Homeworkers, who are defined as workers who perform paid work in the premises where they primarily reside in (excluding independent contractors). Some examples of work that falls under the homeworkers category are: online research, preparing food
for resale, sewing, telephone soliciting, manufacturing, word processing (see section 1 of Employment Standards Act and the Employment Standards Act Guide overview). This category of workers minimum wage rates will be at to $18.90 per hour due to the October 1, 2024, increase.
| Minimum wage rate | Rates from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025 |
Rates from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024 |
Rates from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023 |
Rates from January 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022 |
| General minimum wage | $17.20 per hour | $16.55 per hour | $15.50 per hour | $15.00 per hour |
| Student minimum wage | $16.20 per hour | $15.60 per hour | $14.60 per hour | $14.10 per hour |
| Liquor servers minimum wage | N/A | $16.55 per hour | N/A | N/A |
| Hunting, fishing and wilderness guides minimum wage | $86.00 Rate for working less than five consecutive hours in a day $172.05 Rate for working five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive |
$77.60 Rate for working less than five consecutive hours in a day $165.75 Rate for working five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive |
$77.60 Rate for working less than five consecutive hours in a day $155.25 Rate for working five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive |
$75.00 Rate for working less than five consecutive hours in a day $150.05 Rate for working five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive |
| Homeworkers wage | $18.90 per hour | $18.20 per hour | $17.05 per hour | $16.50 per hour |
Note: This does not affect the April 1, 2024, Federal minimum wage increase that applies to federally regulated workers (such as such as employees in the telecommunication, banking, shipping, and other federally regulated industries), who received an increase to $17.30 per hour.
Ontario minimum wage rates moving forward
With the increase of minimum wage rates in Ontario, starting October 1, 2024, minimum wage rates will be reviewed for potential annual increases every October and will be published on or before April 1, of every year.
If you’re not being paid minimum wage (and are not on the list exempt from minimum wage provisions of the Employment Standards Act of Ontario) or have unpaid wages (see Employment Standards Self-Service Tool to calculate monetary minimum standards), please contact us for a free 30-minute phone consultation.
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