On October 1, 2026, the general minimum wage rate in Ontario will increase to $17.95 an hour, which is based on the Consumer Price Index.
Under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), the new wage rates must be published on a Government of Ontario website by April 1st. To view all the new rates, visit Ontario.ca/minimumwage.
Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
The Government of Canada announced that, starting April 1, 2026, the federal minimum wage will rise to $18.15 per hour. This represents a total cumulative increase of 21% since the introduction of the standalone federal minimum wage in 2021. This measure has supported thousands of workers in minimum-wage jobs across the federally regulated private sector. Regularly updating the minimum wage protects the wage floor workers rely on and strengthens the standard for fair pay.
By indexing the federal minimum wage to inflation, the government is providing greater certainty and security to more Canadians. The increase complements other new measures aimed at bringing down the cost of groceries and other essentials, such as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and the Food Security Fund. These and other measures will help make life more affordable while building a strong economy that benefits all Canadians.
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Powered by Magnet, Skills Bridge was created by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) in partnership with the Diversity Institute, and with funding from the Future Skills Centre and the Government of Canada, to address skills gaps in small- to medium-sized businesses.
Until May 31, 2026, you and up to 10 employees can access over 60 courses on the Skills Bridge learning platform at no-cost.
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Learn more about Skills Bridge programs here or click the link below to register your organization today.
REGISTER YOUR ORGANIZATION HERE