The minimum wage in Ontario has just officially gone up

Ontario's minimum wage increase officially comes into effect today.

The increase means all workers across the province who make minimum wage will now earn $14.35 an hour instead of $14.25, representing a rise of just 10 cents an hour.

Several other wages have also increased slightly as of today: student wages have gone from $13.40 to $13.50, liquor servers' wages have gone from $12.45 to $12.55 and homeworkers from $15.70 to $15.80.

Hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides are also benefitting from the planned increase, with their hourly wage rising from $71.30 to $71.75.

The hardest I’ve ever worked in my life was when I worked for minimum wage. These folks need at least a 50% increase to survive in Ontario https://t.co/vSwOQPBfPP

— matteo (@matteotee) September 27, 2021

Though the increases are slight, and though the new minimum wage by no means represents a living wage in Toronto, any progress is good progress — especially considering wages didn't rise at all in 2019.

Ontario's minimum wage last rose exactly one year ago, increasing from $14 to $14.25 in 2020.

The wage increased more drastically, from $11.60 to $14, in 2018 — right before Premier Doug Ford came into power. 

The previous provincial government had introduced a plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2019, but Ford rolled back the plan and introduced a wage freeze shortly after becoming premier.