Minimum Wage Increase in Ontario: Here’s a 15-Year Recap

* This blog was updated on February 3, 2022.

Minimum wage rates in Ontario increased on January 1, 2022. The general minimum wage increased to $15 an hour from $14.35. The special minimum wages for homeworkers, students under 18, and hunting, fishing and wilderness guides also went up.

Effective January 1, 2022, the general minimum wage also applies to alcohol servers and bartenders.

How has the minimum wage in Ontario progressed over 15 years?

If we take a look at the last 15 years, the increase in hourly pay had been a gradual progression till 2017. The rate went from $8.00 in 2007; $8.75 in 2008; $9.50 in 2009; $10.25 from 2010 to 2013; $11.00 in 2014; $11.25 in 2015; 11.40 in 2016; $11.60 in 2017. It changed to $14.00 in 2018 and was frozen for the next two years. It increased to $14.25 in 2020; $14.35 in 2021; $15 in 2022.

What happened to the scheduled minimum wage increase to $15 from January 1, 2019?

The Liberal government’s Bill 148 was repealed when the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario came to power in 2018. Through 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 take us in 2022?

As of January 1, 2022, the minimum wage rates per hour are as follows:

General minimum wage: $15.00 per hour

Student minimum wage: $14.10 per hour

Homeworkers wage: $16.50 per hour

Hunting, fishing, & wilderness guides minimum wage:  $75 per day (less than five consecutive hours in a day); $150.05 per day (five or more hours in a day, whether or not the hours are consecutive)

Ontario minimum wage changes

The minimum wage rates may increase on October 1 every year. The new rates, applicable from October 1, would be announced on or before April 1 of every year.

The present hike of 65 cents to Ontario’s general minimum wage will be in force from January 1, 2022, till September 30, 2022.

In case a change to the minimum wage rate happens halfway through an employee’s pay period, their pay period will be treated as if it were two separate pay periods. The employee will be entitled to at least the minimum wage applicable in each of the periods.

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.

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To learn more about how our services can benefit your business, call an expert today at 1 (833) 247-3652