Ontario minimum wage rose to $8.75 on Monday

News Release
Ont. Govt.

When minimum wage earners in Ontario went to work Monday, they received a raise.
Ontario is raising the minimum wage to $8.75 on March 31, 2008. This is the fifth increase since 2004.
The minimum wage (http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/info/minimumwage/) remained static between 1995 and 2004.
The McGuinty government began implementing annual increases early in its first term. Minimum wage:
-Increased from $6.85 in 2004 to $8.00 in 2007
- Will reach $10.25 in 2010
Phasing in these increases balances the needs of hard working families with the needs of the small businesses that create jobs.
“Increasing the minimum wage is a key component of the McGuinty government’s plan to reduce poverty in Ontario by expanding economic opportunity for hard working families,” said Labour Minister Brad Duguid.
-The minimum wage has risen $1.15 (17 per cent) between 2004 and 2007
-By 2010, raises will have totalled $3.40 (50 per cent) since 2004
-The major industries employing minimum wage earners are: accommodation and food, retail trade, and agriculture.