What to know
- Ontario’s minimum wage rises by 35 cents to $17.95 per hour starting Oct. 1.
- Locals say the minimum wage increase falls short of meeting current cost-of-living needs.
Ontario’s minimum wage will soon rise by 35 cents, but many Torontonians are questioning if that small increase will make a big difference.
Effective Thursday, Oct. 1, Ontario’s minimum wage will rise from $17.60 to $17.95.
Ahead of the increase, Now Toronto asked Toronto residents for their thoughts on the new minimum wage — and whether they believe it’s enough to match up with rising inflation.
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‘People who are making $100,000 can’t afford to buy a home’: This local says the increase won’t do much
Toronto resident Emmanuel O. says it’s hard for anyone to afford living in Toronto, so the minimum wage increase won’t be that helpful.
“Even if it turns into $20 an hour, it’s realistically not going to make an impact because things are crazy. People who are making $100,000 can’t afford to buy a home, so realistically, what are you going to do with minimum wage?” Emmanuel told Now Toronto.
He adds that the amount may seem like a lot for a teenager, and the increase even more, but that it’s not enough for those who want to support themselves and their families.
‘Playing with our feelings’: This resident says the increase is good, but could be better
Toronto resident Shreya B. says the government should further support part-timers and newcomers.
“When I was in college, I worked for $15 per hour… But with inflation, it is becoming too much for students,” she told Now Toronto.
“It’s a good initiative, but it’s like playing with our feelings. It was $17.60, now $17.95. I think the government should think much more about part-timers who are immigrating,” Shreya added.
She suggested an increase to $19 an hour.
“If I’m renting my studio apartment, and then paying my bills and everything, I think $19 comes to the edge of it. I can still pay everything and have something left for myself,” Shreya said.
‘We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis’: This local says it’s a good step, but not enough
Toronto resident Tom W. says things are getting too expensive, so an increase helps, but more is needed.
“We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. Housing’s a problem for anyone. So, anything that we can do to bridge the wealth divide is a really good thing,” he shared.
But Tom believes the minimum wage needs to rise to keep up with inflation.
“We’ve really got to look at inflation where it is right now and understand that it’s inaccessible, particularly for people who are in those jobs at minimum wage; it’s harder to get by day by day,” he told Now Toronto.
