Ontario minimum wage bumped

The province says the annual adjustment was calculated using Ontario’s Consumer Price Index at 1.9%, under the formula set out in the Employment Standards Act. (news.ontario.ca) The change represents a $0.35 bump from the previous $17.60 rate and the government estimates more than 700,000 workers will be affected, with a 40-hour-per-week worker seeing about $728 more annually. (news.ontario.ca) The ministry’s breakdown shows roughly 35% of minimum‑wage workers are in retail trade and 24% are in accommodation and food services, highlighting which employer budgets are most exposed. (news.ontario.ca) The province notes specialized minimum wages for categories such as students, homeworkers and hunting and fishing guides will also be adjusted in line with the general rate under ESA rules. (news.ontario.ca) Federally regulated employers — including banks, telecoms and interprovincial transport firms — are required to follow the federal minimum, which was indexed to $18.15 per hour effective April 1, 2026, meaning federally regulated tech employers must pay the higher applicable floor. (canada.ca) British Columbia’s general minimum wage was set at $18.25 per hour effective June 1, 2026, leaving Ontario positioned below B.C. and below the federal floor in some federally regulated workplaces. (news.gov.bc.ca) The Ontario announcement ties the increase to broader workforce measures, noting $1.5 billion invested through skills‑development streams since 2021 and a planned $1 billion top‑up to the Skills Development Fund announced in the 2025 budget. (news.ontario.ca)