Anaya Nolan
The minimum wage laws in Ontario, Canada, have been through various changes over the years. The province's minimum wage laws were first established in 1918, with incremental increases over the years. In 1962, the minimum wage was based on hours instead of weeks, with an 85-cent minimum wage for women, which eventually increased to $1 an hour in 1964. Ontario has also been at the forefront of labour laws, being the first province in Canada to establish a Women's Bureau in 1963. The minimum wage laws in Ontario continue to evolve, with scheduled increases in the future, such as the increase to $17.20 per hour for students in 2024 and a general minimum wage increase in 2025.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of minimum wage law creation | 1918 (first introduced in British Columbia and Manitoba) |
| First minimum wage law in Ontario | 1951 (Ontario's Fair Employment Practices Act) |
| Current minimum wage in Ontario | $17.20 per hour (as of 1 May 2025) |
| Minimum wage for students in Ontario | $16.20 per hour (as of 1 October 2024) |
| Minimum wage for hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides in Ontario | $88.05 per day (less than five consecutive hours); $176.15 per day (five or more hours) |
| Minimum wage for homeworkers in Ontario | $17.20 per hour |
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What You'll Learn
Minimum wage history in Ontario
The history of minimum wage in Ontario goes back decades. Canada's earliest minimum wage policies were introduced to protect women and children from exploitation in the workplace. In 1918, British Columbia and Manitoba became the first provinces to implement minimum wage laws.
In 1951, Ontario's Fair Employment Practices Act became the first law in Canada to prohibit discrimination in employment based on race, creed, colour, nationality, ancestry, or place of origin. That same year, the province passed the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act, prohibiting employers from paying female employees less than male employees for the same work. In 1961, the Ontario Human Rights Commission replaced the existing Anti-Discrimination Commission within the Department of Labour.
In 1962, Ontario instituted a new minimum wage based on hours instead of weeks, with incremental increases across the province to give employers time to adjust. The minimum wage for women was 85 cents an hour, eventually reaching $1 an hour in 1964. By 1965, the law covered all of Ontario.
In 1963, Ontario became the first province in Canada to establish a Women's Bureau, recognising that women made up a third of the labour force. The bureau advised and educated women on employment, training, careers, and opportunities.
In more recent years, Ontario has continued to update its minimum wage policies. As of January 1, 2018, the minimum wage in Ontario increased from $11.60 to $14.00 per hour. The Liberal government's Bill 148, which included plans for a minimum wage increase, was repealed when the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario gained power in 2018. Through Bill 47, the new government reversed some changes to Ontario's employment laws and cancelled the scheduled minimum wage increase.
As of October 1, 2024, the minimum wage for students in Ontario was $16.20 per hour, compared to the general minimum wage of $17.20. The minimum wage rates in Ontario are set to increase again on October 1, 2025.
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Minimum wage laws and their effectiveness
Ontario has a long history of enacting legislation to ensure fair and equitable employment practices. In 1951, the province passed the Fair Employment Practices Act, which was the first law in Canada to prohibit discrimination in employment based on race, creed, colour, nationality, ancestry, or place of origin. This was followed by the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act in the same year, which ensured that female employees received the same pay as their male counterparts for the same work.
Over the years, Ontario has continued to update its minimum wage laws to reflect the changing economic landscape and ensure that workers' wages keep pace with the rising cost of living. In 1962, the province instituted a new minimum wage based on hours worked instead of weeks, with the rate set at 85 cents per hour for women and eventually increasing to $1 per hour in 1964. By 1965, this law was extended to cover all of Ontario.
The minimum wage laws in Ontario have proven to be effective in protecting the rights of workers and ensuring they receive fair compensation for their labour. For example, during the first year of the minimum wage law, the Department collected over $1.3 million in wages owed to over 42,000 workers, representing a 200% increase from the previous year under former laws.
Today, the minimum wage in Ontario is subject to annual adjustments and varies depending on the specific industry and job type. For example, hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides are entitled to a minimum daily wage based on blocks of time worked, while students under 18 who work during school breaks or part-time have a different minimum wage rate. The province also has a mechanism in place to address non-compliance, with employees able to file claims with the Ministry of Labour and seek back pay, penalties, and legal costs.
While Ontario's minimum wage laws have generally been effective in protecting workers' rights, there have been instances where political changes have impacted the progress of these laws. For example, in 2018, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario repealed the Liberal government's Bill 148 through Bill 47, cancelling a scheduled minimum wage increase. However, overall, Ontario's minimum wage laws have played a crucial role in ensuring fair and equitable employment practices in the province.
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Industries and jobs with Employment Standards Act exemptions
The minimum wage law in Ontario has a long history, dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, when the province enacted several laws to ensure fair and equitable employment practices. In 1951, Ontario's Fair Employment Practices Act became the first law in Canada to prohibit employment discrimination based on race, creed, colour, nationality, ancestry, or place of origin. Additionally, the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act of the same year ensured equal pay for men and women performing the same work.
By 1962, Ontario instituted a new minimum wage based on hours instead of weeks, with incremental implementation across the province. This included an 85-cent minimum wage for women, which increased to $1 per hour in 1964. By 1965, this law was province-wide.
While most employees in Ontario are covered by the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), certain industries and jobs are exempt or have special rules. Here are some examples of occupations that may be exempt from specific provisions of the ESA or have unique considerations:
- Hunting, Fishing, and Wilderness Guides: The minimum wage for these professionals is based on blocks of time rather than hourly rates. They are entitled to a minimum amount for working less than five consecutive hours and a different rate for working five or more hours in a day, whether or not the hours are consecutive.
- Homeworkers: These are employees who perform work in their own homes, such as sewing clothes, answering calls, or software development. Students working as homeworkers must be paid the homeworker's minimum wage.
- Commission-based Employees: If an employee's pay is based on commission, it must amount to at least the minimum wage for each hour worked. Overtime calculations for commission-based employees can be more complex.
- Individuals in Specific Roles: People holding political, judicial, religious, or elected trade union offices may be exempt from certain provisions of the ESA. Additionally, specific professionals like business consultants or information technology consultants may be exempt if they meet certain conditions.
- Inmates and Individuals in Court-Ordered Work: Those participating in work or rehabilitation programs or working as part of a sentence may be exempt from specific ESA regulations.
- Police Officers: While most provisions of the ESA apply to police officers, there may be exemptions or special considerations for certain aspects, such as lie detector provisions.
It is important to note that these are just a few examples, and there may be other occupations or industries with Employment Standards Act exemptions or special rules. For specific information about a particular situation or occupation, it is advisable to refer to the Government of Ontario's guidelines or contact the Employment Standards Information Centre.
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Women's Bureau and equal pay
In 1963, Ontario became the first provincial jurisdiction in Canada to establish a Women's Bureau, recognising that women made up one-third of the labour force. The bureau advised women on employment and training and educated women and girls on careers and opportunities.
In 1951, Ontario's Fair Employment Practices Act was the first law in Canada to forbid discrimination in employment on the grounds of race, creed, colour, nationality, ancestry or place of origin. That same year, the province enacted the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act, prohibiting employers from paying a female employee less than a male employee doing the same work at the same establishment.
In 1962, the Department instituted a new minimum wage based on hours instead of weeks. The new standards included an 85-cent minimum wage for women, which increased to $1 an hour in 1964. By 1965, the law covered all of Ontario.
Despite these laws, there is still a significant gender pay gap in Canada. According to the OECD (2024), for full-time employees, there is a 17.1% difference between the annual median earnings of women and men. This gap is even larger for self-employed people, at 28%. Canada has the seventh-worst gender pay gap out of all countries for full-time employees.
Various pieces of legislation in Ontario aim to address this gap, including the Pay Equity Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and provincial and territorial human rights laws. The Pay Equity Act compares wage rates of female job classes to male job classes to ensure that women receive equal pay for jobs of different but equal value. The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) also prohibits employers from paying employees different rates based on sex when they perform substantially the same kind of work in the same establishment, requiring the same skill, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions.
However, it's important to note that the ESA does not prevent employers from paying employees of the same sex different rates for equal work. Additionally, equal pay for equal work does not mean that employees performing the same work must be paid the exact same amount. As long as there is no gender-based discrimination, employers can pay different rates based on other factors.
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Labour laws and the Canadian Constitution
Labour laws in Canada are quite challenging for employers due to their constant changes and the differences in laws across the various provinces and territories. Most industries fall under provincial jurisdiction, and each province has its own labour laws. However, federal jurisdiction oversees labour and employment matters in inter-provincial and international industries, such as those involving public service, parliamentary employment, grain handling, rail and air travel, and the postal service.
The Canadian Constitution protects the right of workers to strike and picket against their employer, as per the Supreme Court of Canada's 2015 ruling in Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v Saskatchewan. This right to strike is an essential part of a meaningful collective bargaining process and is constitutionally protected by Section 2 (d) of the Canadian Constitution. The "Rand Formula", a common feature in all provincial and federal labour laws, allows employees in unionized workplaces to decline union membership but mandates that they still pay union dues.
In Ontario, the minimum wage laws have evolved over time. In 1951, the province enacted the Female Employees Fair Remuneration Act, prohibiting employers from paying female employees less than male employees for the same work. In 1962, Ontario introduced a new minimum wage based on hours instead of weeks, with incremental increases leading to $1 an hour in 1964. By 1965, this law covered all of Ontario. More recently, in 2018, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario reversed some changes made by the previous government, including cancelling a scheduled minimum wage increase. As of 2025, the minimum wage rates in Ontario vary based on the type of work and age of the employee, with plans for an increase on October 1st, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
The minimum wage law in Ontario was first created in 1918, making it one of the first provinces in Canada to do so.
Information on the exact rate when the law was first implemented in 1918 is not available. However, it is known that in 1962, the minimum wage was 85 cents per hour for women, which increased to $1 per hour in 1964.
The minimum wage law applies to most employees, including those who are full-time, part-time, or casual employees and those who are paid hourly, by commission, or a flat rate. Certain industries and jobs are exempt from the minimum wage provisions of the Employment Standards Act.
As of January 1, 2019, the minimum wage rate in Ontario was $14 per hour.
Minimum wage rates in Ontario are regularly reviewed and adjusted. The rates are typically adjusted based on inflation, with the next increase scheduled for October 1st, 2025.
