Ontario Minimum Wage Increases to $16.55 an hour
September 29, 2023Cornwall Ontario – The minimum wage rate in Ontario increases to $16.55 an hour as of this weekend.
The new rate comes into effect October 1 and represents a 6.77% increase from the previous rate of $15.50 an hour.
A worker making the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week will see an annual pay increase of approximately $2,200. There were 942,400 workers earning $16.55 per hour or below in 2022, the majority of whom are women.
Minimum Wage Rates in Canada
Compared to the rest of the country, Ontario’s minimum wage is the third highest in Canada. Yukon has the highest minimum wage at $16.77 an hour, while Saskatchewan has the lowest at $14.00 an hour. In Quebec, the minimum wage is $14.25 an hour.
| Province | Minimum Wage | Notes |
| Alberta | $15.00 | Effective as of October 1, 2018. |
| British Columbia | $16.75 | Effective as of June 1, 2023. |
| Manitoba | $15.30 | Effective as of October 1, 2023. |
| New Brunswick | $14.75 | Effective as of April 1, 2023. |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $14.50 | Effective as of April 1, 2023. |
| Northwest Territories | $16.05 | Effective as of September 1, 2023. |
| Nova Scotia | $14.50 | Effective as of April 1, 2023. |
| Nunavut | $16.00 | Effective as of April 1, 2020. |
| Ontario | $16.55 | Effective as of October 1, 2023. |
| Prince Edward Island | $15.00 | Effective as of October 1, 2023. |
| Quebec | $15.25 | Effective as of May 1, 2023. |
| Saskatchewan | $14.00 | Effective as of October 1, 2023. |
| Yukon | $16.77 | Effective as of April 1, 2023. |
Ontario’s minimum wage rate is slightly lower than the federal minimum wage of $16.65 per hour. The federal minimum wage applies to the federally regulated private sectors, including banks, postal and courier services, and interprovincial air, rail, road, and marine transportation. Where the provincial or territorial minimum wage rate is higher than the federal minimum wage, employers must apply the higher rate.
Quick Facts
- Just over 40 per cent of workers at or below the current general minimum wage of $15.50 per hour are in retail trade and almost 25 per cent are in accommodation and food services.
- Ontario’s new minimum wage is the highest of any province in the country. For example, Quebec has a minimum wage of $14.25 an hour, British Columbia has a minimum wage of $15.65 an hour, and Alberta has a minimum wage of $15.00 an hour.
- The special minimum wage rates will also increase for:
- students under the age of 18, who work 28 hours a week or less when school is in session or work during a school break or summer holidays, from $14.60 to $15.60 an hour.
- homeworkers (those who do paid work out of their own homes for employers), from $17.05 to $18.20 an hour.
- hunting, fishing and wilderness guides, from $77.60 to $82.85 per day when working less than five consecutive hours in day, and $155.25 to $165.75 per day when working five or more hours in a day.
Available Jobs in Cornwall and Area
There are over 500 open positions 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.