Ontario’s New Minimum Wage
Ontario’s minimum wage is increasing. Effective February 1, 2004, Ontario’s new general minimum wage will be raised from $6.85 per hour to $7.15 per hour. The minimum wage will increase every year until it reaches $8 per hour on February 1, 2007. All minimum wage categories will also be increased, as shown in the chart below:
| Minimum Wage Rate | February 1, 2004 | February 1, 2005 | February 1, 2006 | February 1, 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Minimum Wage | $7.15 per hour | $7.45 per hour | $7.75 per hour | $8.00 per hour |
| Students under 18 and working not more than 28 hours per week or employed during a school holiday | $6.70 per hour | $6.95 per hour | $7.25 per hour | $7.50 per hour |
| Liquor server | $6.20 per hour | $6.50 per hour | $6.75 per hour | $6.95 per hour |
| Hunting and Fishing guides |
$35.75: paid this minimum rate for less than five consecutive hours in a day; $71.50: for five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive |
$37.25 $74.50 |
$38.75 $77.50 |
$40.00 $80.00 |
| Homeworkers (people doing paid work in their home for an employer) | 110 per cent of the general minimum wage | 110 per cent of the general minimum wage | 110 per cent of the general minimum wage | 110 per cent of the general minimum wage |
Ministry of Labour's news release and fact sheet
For more information about the minimum wage, call 1-800-531-5551 or visit the Ministry of Labour’s website at www.gov.on.ca/LAB/
