Ontario's living wages 2024: Here's what you need to make to afford a basic life in 10 spots
The cost of living in Ontario just keeps climbing, and it may come as no surprise that the current minimum wage falls short of what most people need to make ends meet in the province.
While Ontario's minimum wage saw a bump last month to $17.20 per hour, it's still far from enough to afford the basics in any part of the province, according to new data from the Ontario Living Wage Network (OLWN).
The OLWN released its 2024 living wage report on Monday, revealing the hourly wages workers need to earn to cover their basic expenses like rent, food and child care in different parts of the province.
The organization defines a living wage as "the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and participate in their community." It's calculated to reflect the actual cost of living in specific regions across the province using a standardized basket of goods and services, and it factors in government benefits, taxes and family size to determine these rates.
According to the OLWN, high rental costs are the largest factor driving these increases. "As inflation has calmed in the past year the 2024 living wage rates have increased by an average of 3.4%," says the report.
"The increase to this year's living wage rate is mainly due to rising costs for rent in our province. Inflation of food costs may have calmed but still remain high relative to earlier years."
The GTA remains the most expensive place to live in the province, with a minimum hourly wage of $26.00 required to make ends meet in the province, up from last year's $25.05. By contrast, the London-Elgin-Oxford area's living wage of $19.50 is the lowest in the province — but still much higher than the provincial minimum wage of $17.20.
The OLWN looked at several local data sources, including rent averages, food prices, child care costs, transportation expenses and more in different regions of the province.
The report emphasizes that no region in Ontario is affordable for someone earning the province's minimum wage. "Despite the annual October 1 increase to the provincial minimum wage to $17.20, there is still no place in Ontario where you could work full-time and cover all your expenses," the OLWN states.
The OLWN says the rates aim to serve as a call to action for employers to ensure fair pay. Currently, over 640 organizations in Ontario are certified living wage employers through the OLWN, helping to close the gap between wages and the cost of living.
Here's a look at the 2024 living wage rates in each region across Ontario:
- Greater Toronto Area: $26.00
- Grey-Bruce-Perth-Huron-Simcoe: $23.05
- Ottawa: $22.80
- Dufferin-Waterloo-Guelph-Wellington: $21.30
- Hamilton: $21.30
- Eastern Ontario: $21.65
- Brant-Niagara-Haldimand-Norfolk: $20.90
- Northern Ontario: $20.30
- Southwest (Windsor, Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton County): $19.85
- London-Elgin-Oxford: $19.50
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