Original NorthScope News data graphic; figures from the Ontario government. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.
Effective date: October 1, 2026.
Ontario’s general minimum wage rises to $17.95 an hour on October 1, 2026, up from $17.60. For someone working 40 paid hours a week at the general minimum, the change adds $14 to weekly earnings before deductions.
The increase takes effect Thursday under the province’s annual adjustment. In its April 1 announcement, Ontario said more than 700,000 workers would benefit. Here are the new rates, who the student rate covers, and how the change affects a pay period that crosses October 1.
Ontario minimum wage rates from October 1, 2026
| Hourly wage category | Previous rate | New rate |
|---|---|---|
| General | $17.60 | $17.95 |
| Eligible students under 18 | $16.60 | $16.90 |
| Homeworkers | $19.35 | $19.70 |
Hunting, fishing and wilderness guides have separate daily rates: $89.75 for less than five consecutive hours, or $179.50 for five or more hours, whether consecutive or not. The provincial guide also lists job exemptions and special rules; the general hourly rate does not cover every situation.
How much more is that per week?
The general rate increases by 35 cents an hour. The examples below multiply paid hours by the old and new rates; they assume the same hours at each rate.
| Paid hours per week | At $17.60 | At $17.95 | Weekly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $352.00 | $359.00 | $7.00 |
| 35 | $616.00 | $628.25 | $12.25 |
| 40 | $704.00 | $718.00 | $14.00 |
At 40 paid hours every week for 52 weeks, the difference is $728 over a full year: 35 cents × 40 × 52. That is an annualized comparison, not a $728 payment arriving in October or a prediction of anyone’s take-home pay.
Your own comparison depends on hours actually paid at each rate. For example, 30 paid hours at the new general rate produce $538.50 in regular gross wages, $10.50 more than the same hours at $17.60. A shorter schedule can offset part of an hourly increase, so compare both the rate and the hours on your pay statement.
Who qualifies for the $16.90 student rate?
Ontario’s employment standards policy manual says the student rate applies to students under 18 working no more than 28 hours a week while school is in session, or working during a school holiday. Being a college or university student does not, by itself, qualify an adult for the lower rate.
Homeworkers are employees doing paid work in their own homes. Under Ontario’s guidance, students employed as homeworkers receive the homeworker rate, including those under 18.
What if a pay period includes September and October?
The provincial transition rule treats the portions before and from the effective date as separate periods for minimum-wage calculations. Hours worked from October 1 are assessed against the new applicable rate, even if the pay period began in September.
For a simple example with no overtime or additional payments, 16 hours at the old general rate plus 16 at the new rate total $568.80: $281.60 + $287.20. The date the work was done matters when checking the calculation.
Does the Ontario rate apply to federally regulated jobs?
Federal rules are different. The federal minimum wage is $18.15 an hour, effective April 1, 2026. Federally regulated employers must use a higher provincial or territorial minimum if one applies. Ontario’s new $17.95 general rate is below that federal floor.
Why is the minimum wage changing in October?
Ontario’s announcement ties this adjustment to a 1.9 per cent change in the provincial Consumer Price Index. The annual formula includes rounding to the nearest five cents. The resulting 35-cent general-rate increase is approximately 2.0 per cent of $17.60.
A higher wage floor does not establish how much a particular household’s costs have changed. For that distinction, read our explainer on why prices can keep rising when inflation falls. Our Business coverage follows the wider economy.
Sources and reporting method
Rates and rules were checked against the Ontario and federal government sources linked above on October 1, 2026. Earnings examples are NorthScope News calculations, not individualized payroll estimates.
Prepared and published with AI assistance at the publisher’s direction, without prepublication human review or independent interviews. See our corrections policy to report an error.