·· Employment · Wages
Ontario Minimum Wage 2026: $17.60 Now, $17.95 on October 1
Ontario's general minimum wage is $17.60/hour and rises to $17.95 on October 1, 2026 — a 1.9% inflation adjustment that lifts pay for more than 700,000 workers.
Updated July 2026 · 8 min read · Source: Government of Ontario, Employment Standards Act
A $0.35 (1.9%) increase, calculated through Ontario's inflation-linked formula under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Ontario adjusts the minimum wage every October 1.
All Ontario Minimum Wage Rates (Oct 1, 2026)
Ontario sets different minimum wages for a few categories of work.
| Category | Current | From Oct 1, 2026 | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | $17.60 | $17.95 | Most employees in Ontario |
| Student | $16.60 | $16.90 | Students under 18, ≤28 hrs/week in school |
| Homeworker | $19.30 | $19.70 | Employees doing paid work from home for an employer |
| Hunting/fishing guide (<5 hrs) | — | $89.75 | Per day, under 5 consecutive hours |
| Hunting/fishing guide (5+ hrs) | — | $179.50 | Per day, five or more hours |
The homeworker rate is set higher than the general rate (110%) to account for expenses. The separate lower liquor-server wage was eliminated on January 1, 2022.
What Minimum Wage Earns You Per Year
These are gross figures before CPP, EI, and income tax, based on a 40-hour work week for 52 weeks.
| Period | At $17.60 | At $17.95 |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour | $17.60 | $17.95 |
| Per 8-hour day | $140.80 | $143.60 |
| Per 40-hour week | $704.00 | $718.00 |
| Per month (avg) | $3,050.67 | $3,111.33 |
| Per year | $36,608 | $37,336 |
Your actual take-home pay is lower after CPP (~5.95%), EI (~1.64%), and income tax. At this income most Ontario workers keep roughly 84–86% of gross — use the paycheque calculator below for your exact net.
How the Increase Is Calculated
Since 2022, Ontario ties the minimum wage to inflation. Each year the government multiplies the current rate by the change in the Ontario Consumer Price Index for the previous calendar year, then rounds to the nearest five cents. The new rate takes effect every October 1.
Your Rights at Minimum Wage
If you're paid below minimum wage, you can file a claim with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Claims can generally recover unpaid wages going back up to two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
$17.60/hour until September 30, 2026, then $17.95/hour from October 1, 2026 — a 1.9% inflation-linked increase.
October 1, 2026. Ontario raises the minimum wage every October 1 based on the previous year's Ontario CPI.
$16.90/hour from October 1, 2026 (up from $16.60), for students under 18 working 28 hours a week or less during the school year, or during school breaks.
About $36,608/year at $17.60, or $37,336/year at $17.95, based on 40 hours a week for 52 weeks before deductions.
No. The separate lower server wage ended January 1, 2022. Servers now earn at least the general minimum wage, plus tips.