Ontario Increasing Minimum Wage to $17.20 an Hour
April 2, 2024Cornwall Ontario – The minimum wage in Ontario is increasing to $17.20 an hour. The change will take effect on October 1, 2024.
The current minimum wage rate in Ontario is $16.55 an hour. The forthcoming 3.9 per cent annualized wage increase is based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) and brings Ontario’s minimum wage to the second highest in Canada.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is helping nearly one million workers earn more money for themselves and their families,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “We are providing businesses with certainty and predictability by announcing this annual wage increase six months in advance, while also helping families offset the rising cost of living, so that Ontario continues to be the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
A worker making the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week will see an annual pay increase of up to $1,355. There were 935,600 workers earning at or below $17.20 per hour in 2023.
This minimum wage increase builds on the government’s Working for Workers Four Act, 2024, which provides ground-breaking protections for millions of workers in Ontario, including strengthening wage protections for restaurant, hospitality and service workers by clarifying that employers can never deduct an employee’s wages in the event of a dine and dash, supporting injured workers and banning requirements for Canadian work experience in job postings – a first in Canada.
Quick Facts
- Ontario’s new minimum wage will be the second highest provincial rate, after British Columbia at $17.40 per hour.
- About 35 per cent of workers at or below the current general minimum wage of $17.20 per hour are in retail trade and 24 per cent are in accommodation and food services.
Available Jobs in Cornwall and Area
There are over hundreds of available jobs in Cornwall at the current time, the majority of which pay well above minimum wage. A list of available jobs in Cornwall can be found on the ChooseCornwall.ca Job Board.