Human Resources Legislative Update
Reminder to Employers: General Minimum Wage to Increase January 1, 2022
Date: December 13, 2021
On December 9, 2021, the Ontario government passed Bill 43, Build Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2021, which, among other things, amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 to increase the general minimum wage from $14.35 per hour to $15.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2022.
The following changes to other minimum wage rates also come into force on January 1, 2022:
- liquor servers: the different minimum wage for liquor servers has been eliminated and they will now be entitled to the general minimum wage of $15.00 per hour (from $12.55 per hour)
- employees who are students under 18 years of age, if their weekly hours do not exceed 28 hours or if they are employed during a school holiday: from $13.50 per hour to $14.10 per hour
- homeworkers: from $15.80 per hour to $16.50 per hour
- hunting/fishing/wilderness guides: from $71.75 per hour to $75.00 per hour for working less than five consecutive hours in a day; and from $143.55 per hour to $150.05 per hour for working five or more hours in a day
The minimum wage will be subject to an annual inflation adjustment on October 1 of every year starting in 2022.
The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. ©
