Ontario is working for workers by raising the general minimum wage to $15.50 per hour, starting October 1, 2022. This eight per cent increase over one year will help workers keep up with rising costs and inflation.
In October 2022, Ontario’s new minimum wage rates will be:
- General: $15.50 per hour, a raise from $15 per hour
- Students under 18: $14.60 per hour, a raise from $14.10 per hour
“I don’t think the minimum wage is enough to keep up with the prices of things like gas and groceries. My monthly financial responsibilities increase with paying mortgage bills, utilities, phone bills, car insurance, groceries and my kids expenses. I don’t feel rewarded with my pay despite the hard work My job requires.” Nomana Ashraf, Aesthetician in a beauty center
Advocacy groups say there’s a big gap between minimum wage and the true cost of living.
” A good amount of the payments go to tax and every dollar counts when you take minimum wage, especially when you have responsibilities. My husband works full time and I work six hours every day, and I have a newborn baby. That’s just not enough for our normal life essientials,” Lama Nasser, An employee at Masonville mall
Advocates say these increases aren’t enough to account for the cost of living in most communities. For working families to cover basic expenses, living wages need to be at least $20.52 per hour in Vancouver, $18.60 in Calgary, $22.08 in Toronto, and $18.60 in London.
Although the raise is a step in the right direction, it’s clear that most don’t see it as enough to keep up with housing, food, and other costs that have risen at rates far faster than wages have been able to keep up with.
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