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No Increase For Ontario Minimum Wage

February 11 2011 - The provincial government has announced that the Ontario minimum wage rate will remain at $10.25 per hour in 2011. It remains the highest provincial minimum wage in Canada.

The Ontario minimum wage was frozen for 9 years between 1995 and 2004 but increased by 50% with the annual increases over the next seven years.

The McGuinty government also cites the recent introduction of a broad package of supports and tax relief for Ontario families. This includes tax cuts, second career training, the Ontario Child Benefit and the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit - taking 10% off electricity bills.

Later this year, the provincial government intends to appoint a committee to represent both business and workers to advise on the minimum wage prior to the 2012 budget.

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March 13 2010 - Ontario's minimum wage increases to $10.25 on March 31, 2010 - the seventh increase since 2004.

The minimum wage had been unchanged in Ontario between 1995 and 2004.The province started implementing annual by raising the general minimum wage from $6.85 in 2004 to $8.00 in 2007 and $8.75 in 2008. The minimum wage will be raised to $10.25 in 2010. Increases will have totalled $3.40 (50 per cent) since 2004.

Peter Fonseca, Minister of Labour said:

"Hard-working Ontarians deserve a decent standard of living and we are helping to maintain that. A fair minimum wage is good for workers."

The Government media release stated that phasing in these increases balances the needs of hard working families with the needs of small businesses that create jobs. The major sector industries employing minimum wage earners are: accommodation and food, retail trade, and agriculture.

Increasing the level of the minimum wage is part of Breaking the Cycle: Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, which is intended to reduce the number of children living in poverty by 25% over 5 years - lifting 90,000 kids out of poverty - by boosting benefits for low-income families and enhancing publicly-funded education.

Laurel Broten, Minister of Children and Youth Services, commented:

"This increase is another way Ontario is investing in low-income working families. Along with the Ontario Child Benefit and other initiatives that support our Poverty Reduction Strategy, our efforts are helping to improve the quality of life of all Ontarians."