On January 30, 2014, Ontario's provincial government announced that it would increase the minimum wage in the province from $10.25 to $11.00 per hour. The change becomes effective on June 1, 2014.
The increase of 75 cents per hour was announced by Premier Kathleen Wynne. Premier Wynne stated that the increase will account for inflation since 2010, when the minimum wage rate was frozen at $10.25. At $11.00 per hour, Ontario will join Nunavut in having the highest minimum wage in Canada.
An expert panel commissioned by the government also recommended that future increases in the minimum wage be tied to the rate of inflation and adjusted on April 1 of each year. It is unclear at this time whether this recommendation will be implemented.
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