The minimum legal wage paid to close to 11 per cent of all workers in Ontario rose by 25 cents on Thursday.
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Jobs in certain categories including liquor servers, home workers, and the wage for students will also see an increase.
The government says most minimum wage earners in the province work in accommodation and food, retail trade and agriculture.
The increases are in keeping with the spirit of Seattle’s $15 minimum wage law and would keep the University aligned with the timetable established by the city for large employers.
As previously announced earlier this year, as of October 1st, minimum wage will climb $0.25 to $11.25 an hour.
“We have taken the politics out of increases to the minimum wage by tying raises to inflation”.
The NDP government says it’s a first step toward a $15 minimum wage by 2018.
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The rate for liquor servers rose to $9.80 from $9.55 per hour, while the student rate increased from $10.30 to $10.55. Between 1995 and 2004, when Ontario’s general minimum wage was frozen, it lost more than 20% of its purchasing power.
