Minimum wage increasing to $17.95 an hour effective October 1, 2026, marking the second highest rate among provinces
News from the Government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford
Posted April 6th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
A Brief Comment from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – I recently found a quarter and a couple of nickels under the sofa of a couch in my home. Do you want them?
How far do you think they would go toward on top of the current $17.60 an hour in paying the soaring cost of everything from gasoline, groceries to rent or buying a home?
If Ontario now has the second highest minimum wage in Canada, God help people trying to survive on whatever minimum wage they get in other provinces.
According to the latest figures from the public advocacy group, Ontario Living Wage Network, a minimum living wage in 2025 in Niagara alone was $21.40 an hour and in the GTA it was $27.40, and even that seems too low for a person to afford even the bare necessities of life in today’s world.
Meanwhile, the province’s so-called Sunshine List reported that one top administrator earning a six-digit a year salary in our otherwise money-strapped hospital system recently received a 19.2 per cent salary increase.
Ford and his minions should be ashamed to put out a news release on a piddling minimum wage increase like this but once again, it appears these people who never seemed to grasp the idea that if people are paid a decent wage they will spend it on our economy at home, have no shame.
Now here is the News Release –
TORONTO — The Ontario government is increasing the general minimum wage from $17.60 to $17.95 an hour on October 1, 2026, benefiting more than 700,000 workers across the province.
This annual increase, tied to Ontario’s Consumer Price Index at 1.9 per cent, helps ensure wages continue to reflect economic conditions while protecting workers and providing businesses with greater stability. This is a balanced approach that supports workers’ earning power and helps keep Ontario competitive in a time of global economic uncertainty.
“Ontario workers are the engine of this province,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “By raising the minimum wage to one of the highest in Canada, our government is putting more money in the pockets of Ontario workers, supporting families through economic uncertainty and giving businesses the stability and predictability they need to plan and grow.”
Increasing the minimum wage delivers on our government’s ongoing plan to protect workers, help families get ahead and support a strong, stable economy during international trade uncertainty and changing labour market needs.
A worker earning the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week will see an annual pay increase of approximately $728. The increase builds on the government’s broader economic and workforce initiatives, including Ontario’s multi‑year plan to invest in training, protect critical industries and safeguard workplaces across the province.
Our government continues to take decisive action to protect workers, businesses and communities in the face of global economic uncertainty. By ensuring fair wages, investing in skills training and helping employers retain experienced staff, the province is building a more competitive self-resilient and self-sufficient economy that can create good-paying jobs for generations to come.
Quick Facts
- Ontario’s minimum wage increases every October 1 based on the Ontario CPI, as required by the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA).
- Roughly 35 per cent of minimum-wage workers are employed in retail trade and 24 per cent in accommodation and food services.
- Ontario maintains one of the highest minimum wages in Canada.
For more on the figures from the Ontario Living Wage Network, click on –
Updated 2025 Rates – Ontario Living Wage Network
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