On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, the Ontario government announced that Ontario’s minimum wage would increase by 75 cents from $14.25 to $15 per hour effective January 01, 2022.
The minimum wage in Ontario is determined by the Ontario provincial government and is adjusted from time to time to reflect inflation and employees’ working conditions.
Ontario Minimum Wage Rates
| Type of Minimum Wage | October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021 Minimum Wage | October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022 Minimum Wage |
| Standard Minimum Wage | $14.25 | $14.35 |
| Student Minimum Wage | $13.40 | $13.50 |
| Liquor Servers Minimum Wage | $12.45 | $12.55 |
| Hunting and Fishing Minimum Wage | $71.30 for working below five consecutive hours per day.
$142.60 for working within five consecutive or non-consecutive five hours per day. |
$71.75 for working below five consecutive hours per day.
$143.55 for working within five consecutive or non-consecutive five hours per day. |
| Homeworkers Minimum Wage | $15.70 | $15.80 |
| Wilderness Guides Minimum Wage | $71.30 for working below five consecutive hours per day.
$142.60 for working within five consecutive or non-consecutive five hours per day. |
$71.75 for working below five consecutive hours per day.
$143.55 for working within five consecutive or non-consecutive five hours per day. |
Source:
Ontario.ca
What is a Minimum Wage?
This refers to the lowest pay rate that an employer is required to pay their worker.
Minimum wage aims to address unfair treatment of workers, protect workers’ rights, eliminate poverty, and limit the population of low-paying jobs.
Thus, a minimum wage applies to both employees working full-time, part-time, or casual.
However, some workers are exempted from the general minimum wage due to their working conditions and commitment.
Subsequently. you will learn about the general and special Ontario minimum wage 2021/2022 and other provincial/territorial minimum wages in Canada.
What is the Minimum Wage in Ontario?
The minimum wage in Ontario $14.25.
In 2021, the minimum wage Ontario employers are required by law to pay their workers per hour was $14.25 per hour.
However, based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index, the minimum wage was increased by 10 cents to $14.35 per hour.
Ontario Specialized Minimum Wage
The following are Ontario’s specialized or exempted minimum wage from the general minimum wage.
1. Student Wage Ontario
This exemption applies to students below 18 years working within or below 28 hours a week while on school or break.
2. Liquor Servers Minimum Wage
This exemption applies to workers that directly serve liquor to people as part of their job responsibilities.
3. Hunting and Fishing Guides, Wilderness Guides Minimum Wage
Hunting and fishing workers are also exempted from the Ontario general minimum wage.
They are paid according to the number of hours they spend on their job.
Thus, these workers receive a minimum wage for working below five consecutive hours a day.
However, they can earn much by working five hours or more hours a day.
This is without regard to whether the hours are consecutive or not.
4. Wilderness Guides Minimum Wage
This exemption applies to workers that help people in carrying out wilderness-related activities such as:
- Hiking
- Back-country skiing
- Canoeing,
- Snowshoeing
- Rafting
- Kayaking
- Wildlife viewing
- Horseback riding
- Survival training
- Rock climbing
However, this exemption doesn’t cover hunting and fishing guides and students below 18 years working within or less than 28 hours a week while on school or break.
5. Homeworkers Minimum Wage
This exemption applies to homeworkers that perform paid tasks. This includes tailoring, answering calls, or writing etc.
Furthermore, under this exemption, students, whether 18 or above, are also entitled to homeworkers minimum wage.
Ontario Minimum Wage for Employees Who Earn Commission
Whether an employee’s wage is based on commission entirely or partially, it can’t be less than the Ontario minimum wage 2021 for every hour worked.
For example, suppose you worked for 40 hours, and you were paid a commission of $300, the minimum wage applicable to you is $14.35 per hour.
Thus, $14.35 x 40 = $574. This implies that your employer is owing you $274.
However, exemptions apply to some people that earn commission on particular industries or jobs.
How Room and Board Impacts Minimum Wage in Ontario
Employers in Ontario are expected to consider the provision of room and board (meals) when determining if they have paid employees the applicable minimum wage.
So if the employee has been provided with meals and has occupied the room, the room and board will be regarded as wages.
Here are the amounts an employer is expected to pay a worker for room and board or both:
| Weekly Payment For | Amounts |
| Room | $31.70 for private
$15.85 for non-private $0.00 for non-private (domestic workers only) |
| Meals | $2.55 per meal
$53.55 weekly maximum |
| Rooms and meals | $85.25 for a private room
$69.40 for non-private $53.55 non-private (domestic workers only) |
| Harvest workers housing | $99.35 for serviced housing
$73.30 for unserviced housing |
Source:
Ontario.ca
What is the 3 Hour Rule in Ontario?
The Ontario 3 hour rule instructs that a worker that often works more than three hours a day must be paid the highest of the following amounts if they are expected to work but do not work up to three hours:
- a pay rate equivalent to their usual three hours, or
- the employee’s work earnings and wage per the standard wage of the rest three hours.
For example, if you work $15 per hour but worked only two hours in a day, you’re entitled to $15 multiplied by the two hours you worked plus one hour of your usual rate ($15).
So your total earnings will be $45. That’s $15 + $15 (the hours you worked) + $15 (your usual rate). That’s the three-hour rule.
However, this rule doesn’t apply to:
- Those working on three hours shift or below.
- Employers that can’t manage employees who are unable to work for at least three hours.
Finally, this rule also applies to students. But exception applies to students who are not wilderness guides worker under:
- Children’s camp
- Charity-based recreational program or
- As instructors or supervisors to children
Future Minimum Wage in Ontario
In 2020, the Ontario government started adjusting its minimum wage rates every October 1.
Thus, for 2021, the Ontario minimum wage will increase from $14.25 to $14.35 on October 1, based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index.
Currently, $15 per hour is the Ontario minimum wage. This is less than the highest and more than the lowest minimum wage in Canada.
Furthermore, an employee will be entitled to at least the minimum wage that applies for both pay periods if the minimum wage rate occurs partway through the pay period.
Ontario Minimum Wage Vs. Other Provincial Minimum Wages in Canada?
Here’s how the Ontario Minimum wage stacks up against the minimum wage of other Provinces in Canada.
| Alberta Minimum Wage 2022 | $15.00 per hour |
| Minimum Wage Manitoba 2022 | $11.95 per hour |
| Saskatchewan Minimum Wage 2022 | $11.81 per hour |
| Nova Scotia Minimum Wage 2022 | $12.95 per hour |
| Minimum Wage BC 2022 | $15.20 per hour |
| Northwest Territories Minimum Wage 2022 | $15.20 per hour |
| Newfoundland and Labrador Minimum Wage 2022 | $12.75 per hour |
| Yukon Minimum Wage 2022 | $15.20 per hour |
| Minimum Wage Quebec 2022 | $13.50 per hour |
| Prince Edward Island Minimum Wage 2022 | $13.70 per hour |
| New Brunswick Minimum Wage 2022 | $12.75 per hour |
As you can see, each province/territory has a varying minimum wage compared to Ontario minimum wage.
However, these minimum wage rates change annually to reflect the current working conditions of workers and inflation in Canada.
READ MORE: How Much Do I Need to Retire in Canada?
Final Thoughts on Ontario Minimum Wage
Ontario minimum wage 2021/2022 is one of the series minimum wages of Ontario starting from 1920.
Compared to other provincial and territorial minimum wages in Canada, you can see that the Ontario minimum wage 2021/2022 is neither among the lowest nor the highest minimum wage in the country.
Notwithstanding, there has been a consistent increase to improve the working conditions of Ontario workers.
Accordingly, the Ontario minimum wage increased on October 1, 2021, to reflect the Ontario Consumer Price Index.
So let me know your thoughts about the Ontario minimum wage 2021/2022 in the comment section.
Quick Facts
- A full-time worker making the general minimum wage will see their annual earnings increase by $1,350 in 2022.
- From January-November 2021, there were 767,300 workers at or below the proposed general minimum wage of $15 in Ontario (StatsCan Labour Force Survey, 2021).
- Most minimum wage earners are women and nearly 73 percent of working 15 to 19-year-olds are at or below the new general minimum wage of $15 per hour.
- The industries employing the most minimum wage earners are accommodation and food services, and retail trade.
- Nearly 37 percent of workers at or below the new general minimum wage of $15 per hour are in retail trade and almost 24 percent are in accommodation and food services.
- Ontario’s new general minimum wage is one of the highest in the country. For example, Quebec has a general minimum wage of $13.50 an hour, Manitoba has a general minimum wage of $11.95 per hour, and Nova Scotia has a general minimum wage of $12.95 an hour.
FAQs on Ontario Minimum Wage 2021/2022
Is Minimum Wage Going Up in 2021 Ontario?
Yes. In 2020, the Ontario government set October 1 as the annual date of increasing its minimum wage.
So the Ontario minimum wage increased to $14.35 from $14.25 on October 1, 2021, based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index.
Do I Get Paid if My Shift is Cancelled Ontario?
Yes. Employers in Ontario are required to pay three-hour compensation to their employees for scheduled or on-call cancelled shifts.
How Many Hours Can You Work in a Day Ontario?
Ontarians are required to work for a maximum of eight hours per day. However, you can exceed this limit through a written agreement between you and your employer.
Are 15 Minute Breaks Required By Law in Ontario?
No, the Employment Standards Act (ESA) in Ontario instructs employees to provide a half-hour meal break per five hours of work.
However, you can decide to split the 30 minutes break into two 15-minutes. But it must be through a verbal or written agreement with your employer.
So the 15-minutes breaks are optional, not compulsory in Ontario.
Finally, if you have any question about the Ontario minimum wage 2021/2022, let me know in the comment section.
Hi, I'm Adeola Adegoke. I am a licensed Insurance Broker in Manitoba, and I hold a master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences (with a major in Financial Modeling) from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Tanzania.
Also, I have a second master's degree in Statistics from the University of Regina, and I am currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Manitoba.
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