Ontario will announce a new minimum wage increase before April 1st, 2025, to assist workers with the rising cost of living.
The government plans to adjust the minimum wage to ensure fair compensation for all workers.
According to Immigration News Canada (INC), the minimum wage in Ontario varies across different categories, including general labour, students, work-from-home employees, and guides.
As of October 1st, 2024, the general minimum wage in Ontario is $17.20 per hour, up from $16.55.
This 3.9% increase aligns with the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), moving to help workers keep pace with the rising cost of living. Projections suggest that the minimum hourly wage could rise to approximately $17.82 per hour by 2025, reflecting a continued effort to adjust wages in line with inflation and economic trends
Student minimum wage
The minimum hourly wage for students in Ontario is $16.20 per hour, effective October 1st, 2024. This rate applies to students under 18 who work 28 hours or less per week during the school year or during school breaks.
Based on historical data, INC informs that it is projected that the student minimum wage will increase to around $16.70.
This applies to all students, including international students, who are under 18 and fall under the student minimum hourly wage in Ontario.
Work from home minimum wage
Employees who work from home, categorized as homeworkers, are currently entitled to a minimum hourly wage of $18.90 per hour, effective October 2024. Examples of homeworkers include individuals sewing clothes for a clothing manufacturer, answering phone calls for a call center, or software designers for an IT company.
It is projected that the minimum wage for homeworkers will rise to around $19.40 per hour in 2025.
Minimum wage for guides
In Ontario, the minimum wage for fishing, hunting, and wilderness guides is based on blocks of time rather than hourly rates. The minimum wage is categorized as working fewer than five consecutive hours in a day or a higher wage for working five or more hours in a day, regardless of whether the hours are consecutive.
In October 2024, Ontario increased its minimum daily wage from $82.85 to $86 per day for those working less than five consecutive hours and from $166.75 to $172.05 per day for those working five or more hours.
Wage calculation for commission-based employees
For workers on commission, their pay must meet or exceed the hourly minimum wage. For example, if an employee earns $300 for 25 hours at a minimum hourly wage of $17.20 per hour, they would be entitled to an additional $130 to meet the minimum hourly wage requirement for those hours.
The anticipated minimum wage increase, as stated, is more than a policy adjustment—it is a statement on the value of work, the dignity of labour, and the health of the province’s economy.
Both workers and employers are informed to be ready for these changes, understanding their effects on living standards, business operations, and the broader economic fabric.
