Ministry of Labour

Ontario government raises minimum wage

           Increase Helps Lowest-Paid And Most Vulnerable Workers
    

Contact Info

    TORONTO, Jan. 3 — The Ontario government is raising the minimum
wage on February 1, 2007, for the fourth time since taking office, Labour
Minister Steve Peters announced today.
    "We are providing Ontario's lowest-paid and most vulnerable workers with
the fourth increase in the minimum wage in four years," said Peters. "It is to
Ontario's economic advantage to see that our workers are paid a fair wage."
    The general minimum wage will be raised to $8.00 per hour on February 1,
2007. This is the final increase in a four-year initiative that began
February 1, 2004, at which time the government undertook to raise the minimum
wage for the first time since 1995. It was phased in over a four-year period
to allow Ontario business time to adjust and remain competitive.

    

    Other minimum wage rates will also increase on February 1, 2007. The
minimum wage for:

 — Students under 18 years old and employed for not more than 28 hours a
        week during the school year or employed during a school holiday, will
        rise from $7.25 to $7.50 per hour
 — Liquor servers will increase from $6.75 to $6.95 per hour
 — Hunting and fishing guides currently paid a minimum of $38.75 for
        less than five consecutive hours in a day and $77.50 for five or more
        hours in a day (whether or not the hours are consecutive) will also
        increase to $40.00 and $80.00 respectively.

    "The increase is part of the McGuinty government's investment in people,"
said Peters. "By phasing in the minimum wage increases, we can help these
workers benefit from Ontario's economic growth while keeping Ontario
businesses competitive."

    Disponible en français

                             www.labour.gov.on.ca


    Backgrounder
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       ONTARIO'S MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

 — Ontario's current general minimum wage is $7.75 per hour.

 — The general minimum wage for Ontario workers rose to $7.75 per hour
        on February 1, 2006. It will rise again to $8.00 on February 1, 2007.

    ------------------------------------------------
    Ontario General             Implementation Date
    Minimum Wage Rate/hr
    ------------------------------------------------
    $6.85                       January 1, 1995
    ------------------------------------------------
    $7.15                       February 1, 2004
    ------------------------------------------------
    $7.45                       February 1, 2005
    ------------------------------------------------
    $7.75                       February 1, 2006
    ------------------------------------------------
    $8.00                       February 1, 2007
    ------------------------------------------------

    Minimum Wage Increases for Specific Job Categories:

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Minimum    Previously  February 1,  February 1,  February 1,  February 1,
    Wage Rate (since 1995) 2004         2005         2006         2007
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    General         $6.85       $7.15        $7.45        $7.75        $8.00
     Minimum     per hour    per hour     per hour     per hour     per hour
     Wage
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Students
     under 18
     and working
     not more
     than 28
     hours per
     week during
     the school
     year or
     working
     during a
     school         $6.40       $6.70        $6.95        $7.25        $7.50
     holiday     per hour    per hour     per hour     per hour     per hour
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Liquor          $5.95       $6.20        $6.50        $6.75        $6.95
     servers     per hour    per hour     per hour     per hour     per hour
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Hunting and    $34.25:     $35.75       $37.25       $38.75       $40.00
     fishing    paid this
     guides       minimum
                 rate for
                  working
                less than
                     five
              consecutive
               hours in a
              day; $68.50:     $71.50       $74.50       $77.50       $80.00
              for working
             five or more
               hours in a
              day whether
               or not the
                hours are
              consecutive
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Homeworkers   110 per     110 per      110 per      110 per      110 per
     (defined     cent of     cent of      cent of      cent of      cent of
     as employees     the         the          the          the          the
     who do paid  general     general      general      general      general
     work in      minimum     minimum      minimum      minimum      minimum
     their home      wage        wage         wage         wage         wage
     for an
     employer)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Disponible en français

                             www.labour.gov.on.ca