Ontario minimum wage rises to $17.95 an hour as of Oct. 1, 2026

Ontario’s general minimum wage increased to $17.95 an hour on Oct. 1, 2026, up from $17.60, according to a provincial news release.

The new rate applies across Ontario, including Clarington. Ontario estimates the change affects more than 700,000 workers.

At 40 hours a week, the 35-cent hourly increase works out to about $728 more per year.

Ontario adjusts the minimum wage each year on Oct. 1 under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, using the Ontario Consumer Price Index. This year’s adjustment was based on a 1.9 per cent increase in Ontario’s Consumer Price Index.

Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Trevor Jones said the increase is meant to help workers manage higher costs while keeping the annual adjustment predictable for employers.

The province also said specialized minimum wage rates for students, homeworkers, and hunting and fishing guides increased on Oct. 1, 2026.

Ontario reported that about 35 per cent of minimum-wage workers are employed in retail trade and 24 per cent work in accommodation and food services.

Over the past eight years, Ontario’s minimum wage has increased from $14 an hour in 2018 to $17.95 as of Oct. 1, 2026, the release said.