Toronto’s Living Wage Climbs Again, Pressuring Household Budgets
Most Ontarians making minimum wage would fall short of what they need to cover their basic expenses, according to a report released by the Ontario Living Wage Network on Monday.
With a living wage of $27.60, Toronto continues to be the region with the highest adequate income. Up $0.40 — or around 1.5 per cent — compared to 2025, some workers in Toronto need to make nearly $10 more than the provincial minimum wage of $17.95 to get by comfortably.
“Affordability remains a significant challenge for many workers earning low wages in the (GTA) region,” the group said in the report.
A living wage is the hourly amount a worker must earn to “cover basic expenses and participate in their community,” according to the Ontario Living Wage Network.
The network’s living wage calculation took into account annual family expenses, income, government benefits and taxes for two-parent, single-parent, and single-adult households. The calculation was weighted based on the proportion of each type of household in Ontario.
Ottawa saw the largest living wage increase of nearly three per cent, from $23.40 to $24.10, while the southwestern London Elgin Oxford region was the least affected with just a $0.10 bump between 2025 and 2026.
Across Ontario, the average living wage has increased by just 1.6 per cent, down from 5.3 per cent in 2025, according to the report. Though the increase is “more modest” than in previous years, said the network, “there is still no region in Ontario where minimum wage is enough to afford the cost of living.”
Rising household costs have made it harder to afford to live in Ontario. The annual food costs for a family of four in the GTA have increased nearly $860 in just one year, while housing costs have risen by almost $700, the report shows.
In October, minimum wage in Ontario increased by $0.35, bringing the amount from $17.60 to $17.95. The annual boost, which was expected to affect some 700,000 minimum wage workers, was tied to the province’s 1.9 per cent consumer price index, a measure of inflation.
“By raising the minimum wage to one of the highest in Canada, our government is putting more money in the pockets of Ontario workers,” said Labour Minister David Piccini in an April 2026 news release.
Ontario’s minimum wage lags behind British Columbia ($18.25), Yukon ($18.51) and Nunavut ($20.17).
How does the living wage compare across the province?
Though workers in the GTA have to make around $10 more than minimum wage to make ends meet, the gap between the minimum and living wage in some regions is as low as $3.20, the report found.
- East: $22.80, up from $22.20
- Dufferin Guelph Wellington Waterloo: $23.40, up from $23
- 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
- GTA: $27.60, up from $27.20
- Hamilton: $23.10, up from $22.60
This article was first reported by The Star
