Ontario raising minimum wage to $11.25 from $11/hour

Ontario’s minimum wage will rise to $11.25 an hour starting Oct. 1, making it the second-highest rate in the country after the Northwest Territories.

The minimum wage rate for liquor servers, homeworkers and students will also be increasing.

The rate for liquor servers will rise to $9.80 from $9.55 per hour, while the student rate will increase from $10.30 to $10.55. Homeworkers will get $12.40 per hour, compared to the current rate of $12.10.

The Ministry of Labour said this is the ninth minimum wage increase since the Liberals took power in 2003.

“Our government has taken politics out of minimum wage increases while ensuring wages for Ontario workers keep pace with inflation and businesses have time to prepare for payroll changes,” Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn said in a release.

“This puts more money in people’s pockets, gives our businesses predictability and helps build a more prosperous economy, while ensuring a fair society for all.”

Most minimum wage earners work in the accommodation, retail, food and agriculture sectors.

The Northwest Territories’ minimum wage will be increased to $12.50 in June, making it the highest rate in the country.

British Columbia also announced an increase in its minimum wage last week, a rise of 20 cents in September to $10.45 as a result of indexing to B.C.’s consumer price index.

Back in June of 2014, the minimum wage in Ontario rose to $11 an hour — a hike of 75 cents. The 75-cent hike was the first since 2010, when the Liberal government froze the minimum wage at $10.25 an hour.

Last fall, the provincial government passed legislation that amended the Employment Standards Act to tie future minimum wage increases to the Consumer Price Index.

Below is a list of minimum wages in Canada:

• British Columbia: Currently $10.25 for most workers and $9 for those serving alcohol; increasing to $10.45 and $9.20, respectively, in September
• Alberta: $10.20 or $9.20 for workers who serve alcohol
• Saskatchewan: $10.20
• Manitoba: $10.70
• Ontario: Currently $11; $10.30 for students under 18 and $9.55 for workers serving alcohol; increases to $11.25, $10.55 and $9.80, respectively, in October
• Quebec: $10.35 or $8.90 for workers who receive tips; increasing to $10.55 and $9.05, respectively, in May
• New Brunswick: $10.30
• Nova Scotia: $10.40 an hour for most workers and $9.90 for “inexperienced” workers; increasing to $10.60 and $10.10, respectively, in April
• Prince Edward Island: $10.35, increasing to $10.50 in July
• Newfoundland and Labrador: $10.25, increasing to $10.50 in October
• Yukon: $10.72, increasing to $10.86 in April
• Northwest Territories: $10, increasing to $12.50 in June
• Nunavut: $11

CORRECTION: An earlier version of the story said Ontario’s minimum wage will be the country’s highest in October.