Ministry of Labour

Ontario's Minimum Wage Rises Tomorrow

Increase Helps Lowest Paid And Most Vulnerable Workers

    TORONTO, Jan. 31 — The Ontario government is raising the minimum
wage tomorrow, February 1, 2007, for the fourth time since taking office, said
Labour Minister Steve Peters.
    "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 McGuinty government has increased Ontario's minimum wage by 17 per
cent - from $6.85 an hour to $8.00 an hour. The general minimum wage will be
raised to $8.00 per hour on February 1, 2007.
    Other minimum wage rates will also increase. 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.
    

Contact Info

    "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
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                       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
    Minimum Wage Rate/hr                                 Implementation Date
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    $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   $6.40       $6.70        $6.95        $7.25        $7.50
    under 18   per hour    per hour     per hour     per hour     per hour
    and
    working
    not more
    than 28
    hours per
    week during
    the school
    year or
    working
    during a
    school
    holiday
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Liquor     $5.95       $6.20        $6.50        $6.75        $6.95
    servers    per hour    per hour     per hour     per hour     per hour
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Hunting    $34.25:     $35.75       $37.25       $38.75       $40.00
    and        paid this
    fishing    minimum rate
    guides     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
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Home-      110 per     110 per      110 per      110 per      110 per
    workers    cent of     cent of      cent of      cent of      cent of
    (defined   the         the          the          the          the
    as         general     general      general      general      general
    employees  minimum     minimum      minimum      minimum      minimum
    who do     wage        wage         wage         wage         wage
    paid work
    in their
    home
    for an
    employer)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------



    Disponible en français

                             www.labour.gov.on.ca