Ontario's NDP Party Says They'll Raise Minimum Wage To $20 An Hour If Elected

Minimum wage rates could go up in Ontario if the NDP party gets elected next year.

The Ontario NDP party just promised that if they get elected, they will work towards getting the province's minimum wage rates up to $20 an hour.

Their proposed schedule in order to make that dream into a reality will see a dollar increase each year starting by boosting the wages to $16 per hour on October 1, 2022, and reaching that $20 rate by May 1, 2026.

"Whether you are stocking grocery store shelves or cleaning a hospital you deserve respect. All workers deserve respect," NDP leader Andrea Horwath said in the announcement. "Respect is not just saying thank you and calling someone a hero. Respect means paying people a wage that pays the bills."

Back on October 1, Ontario's minimum wage bumped up by 10 cents to $14.35 an hour. During a news conference on November 2, Premier Doug Ford said that the government would boost that hourly rate up to $15 starting January 1, 2022, if the legislation gets passed.

But, the current minimum wages don't even come close to how much Ontarians should be making in order to live where they do.

According to the Ontario Living Wage Network, Torontonians need to be making at least $22.08 an hour in order to keep living in the 6ix. Sault St. Marie - which has the smallest gap between their living wage and Ontario's minimum wage - comes out to $16.20 per hour which is still $1.85 more than what is currently being offered to the province's minimum wage workers.

Ontario's NDP party isn't the first to start making campaign promises for next year's elections. The Liberals have already said they'll work to give a $300 winter tire rebate and would introduce a four-day workweek pilot to Ontario should they get elected.

The provincial elections aren't for another few months, as Ontarians are expected to vote on June 2, 2022.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.