Making Ontario's minimum wage fair and predictable

NEWS RELEASE

The province is introducing the Fair Minimum Wage Act today, which, if passed, would tie future annual minimum wage increases to Ontario's Consumer Price Index. Under the proposed legislation, increases to the general minimum wage and all special categories would be announced by April 1 of each year, and come into effect on Oct. 1.

The proposed legislation follows the province's commitment to increase minimum wage from $10.25 to $11 per hour on June 1, 2014.

Increasing the minimum wage and establishing a fair and predictable way of setting future adjustments is part of the government's economic plan that is creating jobs for today andtomorrow. The comprehensive plan and its six priorities focus on Ontario's greatest strength -- its people and strategic partnerships.

QUICK FACTS

•  The proposed legislation acts on the recommendations in the consensus report from Ontario’s Minimum Wage Advisory Panel, which included business, labour, youth and anti-poverty representatives.
•  The current minimum wage is $10.25 per hour; it will rise to $11 on June 1, 2014 — the highest in Canada.
•  The 75 cent increase reflects the annual change in Ontario’s Consumer Price Index since the last increase on March 31, 2010.
•  The increase will establish $11 as the base rate for all future adjustments. The province will also conduct a full review of its minimum wage rates and revision process every five years.
•  The Minimum Wage Advisory Panel held 10 public consultations across the province and received more than 400 submissions from organizations, businesses, and individual Ontarians.

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