Toronto living wage increases by 40 cents in 2026, falling nearly $10 short of minimum wage

Torontonians will need to make $27.60 per hour to completely cover basic expenses, according to updated data from the Ontario Living Wage network. 

The organization’s most recent calculations show a 1.6 per cent increase from across all 10 regions in Ontario. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) falls just under the provincial average at 1.5 per cent.

In 2025, the living wage in the GTA rose to $27.20. 

Despite the relatively small increase in the living wage, those making minimum wage in Ontario still fall short by $9.65. The provincial minimum wage was increased to $17.95 on Oct. 1, 2026 but still lags behind British Columbia ($18.25), Yukon ($18.51) and Nunavut ($20.17).

“Affordability remains a significant challenge for many workers earning low wages in the [GTA] region,” the advocacy group said in its latest report. 

Ottawa saw the largest increase in living wage from 2025 to 2026 at three per cent while the London Elgin Oxford region saw the smallest increase at just 0.5 per cent.

“Even in the region with the lowest living wage rate, a person working full-time at minimum wage would still fall short of what they need to cover basic expenses. There is still no region in Ontario where minimum wage is enough to afford the cost of living,” the network detailed.

The expenses that eat up the most earnings for individuals, couples and families are food and housing. In 2026, Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index reports that the cost of food has gone up by 1.7 per cent year-over-year. 

Here’s how the 2026 living wage compares across 10 regions across Ontario:

East: $22.80, up from $22.20

Dufferin, Guelph, Wellington, Waterloo: $23.40, up from $23.00

Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Niagara: $21.60, up from $21.40

London, Elgin, Oxford: $21.15, up from $21.05

Southwest: $21.85, up from $21.50

Grey, Bruce, Perth, Huron, Simcoe: $24.75, up from $24.60

North: $21.35, up from $21.10

Ottawa: $24.10, up from $23.40

Greater Toronto Area: $27.60, up from $27.20

Hamilton: $23.10, up from $22.60