April 5th Weekly Update

Ontario Increasing Minimum Wage to $16.55 an Hour

The Ontario government is increasing the minimum wage to $16.55 an hour on October 1, 2023. This 6.8 per cent pay raise for low-income workers builds on the government’s steady and predictable increases every year to help families offset the rising cost of living.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is putting workers in the driver’s seat of their careers, and their lives,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “This latest increase is a fair and balanced approach that means more money in their pockets so they can support their families and continuing building a stronger Ontario for all of us.”

A worker making the general minimum wage and working 40 hours per week will see an annual pay increase of nearly $2,200. There were 942,400 workers earning $16.55 per hour or below in 2022, the majority of whom are women.

This minimum wage increase builds on the government’s work to make Ontario the best place to live, work and raise a family. Most recently, the government introduced the Working for Workers Act, 2023, which will, if passed, provide ground-breaking protections for millions of workers in Ontario.

The new investment in Budget 2023 builds on the expansion of 160 undergraduate and 295 postgraduate medical training seats announced last year, the largest expansion of Ontario’s medical school system in over a decade.

“Medical seat expansion in the province’s postsecondary sector is a critical element of our plan to connect people to care close to home,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “Expanding postsecondary education opportunities that prioritize Ontarians will make it easier for the homegrown doctors of tomorrow to receive training and provide world-class health care right in their own communities.”

This expansion is part of the government’s Your Health plan, which includes initiatives to hire more health care workers.

“Increasing the number of doctors and other health care workers will make it easier for Ontarians to connect to world class health care right in their own communities,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We will continue to implement our bold plan to grow our health workforce so Ontarians can continue to receive care closer to home for years to come.”

Ontario is leveraging its world-class clean electricity grid by launching a clean energy credit (CEC) registry that will boost competitiveness and attract jobs, by helping businesses meet their environmental and sustainability goals. Proceeds from the sale of CECs will help keep costs down for electricity ratepayers and fund the construction of clean electricity projects in Ontario through a newly created Future Clean Electricity Fund. This fund will help build Ontario’s clean energy advantage as the province competes for and attracts new investments in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, clean steel, and other sectors, while continuing to build its clean economy.

“Clean energy has become an economic imperative as companies around the world want to invest in jurisdictions with affordable, reliable and clean energy. Our clean energy credit registry will help us compete and attract more major investments in Ontario’s economy,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “Ontario families have done the heavy-lifting and built one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world, and now we can leverage that clean supply to reduce the cost of new clean generation through our Future Clean Electricity Fund.”

A CEC registry provides businesses with a tool to meet environmental and sustainability goals by demonstrating that their electricity has been sourced from clean resources, such as nuclear power, hydroelectric, wind, solar, and bioenergy.

The registry, administered by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), adds to the growing list of factors that make Ontario a top destination for all types of investment, including the province’s well-trained workforce, tax credits, and an exemplary research and development ecosystem.

“The clean energy credit registry is part of our government’s clean energy advantage that is boosting competitiveness and attracting investments and jobs right here in Ontario”, said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Our government has the right plan to build an Ontario that will continue to have a resilient economy. We are supporting families, workers and businesses today, while building a strong fiscal foundation for the future.”

The Ontario government is investing an additional $25 million over three years in its flagship immigration program to support doubling the number of skilled immigrants the province can welcome to tackle the labour shortage and help build Ontario.

“Our government is ready to welcome more skilled newcomers to Ontario, to help build the highways, transit, schools, homes and hospitals our growing population needs,” said Premier Doug Ford. “As we continue to tackle historic labour shortages, we’re doing everything we can to ensure we have the workforce to help build Ontario. It’s all hands on deck.”

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program allows the province to nominate individuals for permanent residence who have the skills and experience to contribute to Ontario’s economy in industries like the skilled trades and health care. Earlier this month, the province and federal government announced a doubling of the number of economic immigrants the province selects to a historic high of 18,000 by 2025. The new investment in Budget 2023 will speed up processing and ensure those coming to Ontario can start working in their professions quickly. The funding increase supports enhancing security and other IT updates to ensure the system can handle increased demand now and in the future.

“Every year, more immigrants come to Ontario than any other province,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “It is critical to ensure we have the resources to select and welcome those best placed to succeed, building stronger communities for everyone.”