Ontario's minimum wage is going up as of October 1, 2021 and while it still may not be enough for a single worker to afford the cost of living in this increasingly expensive city, it is a start in the right direction.

As of next month, Ontario's minimum wage will rise from $14.25 to $14.35 for the majority of workers.

While a ten cent raise may seem completely insignificant, it's part of a slow rise that has been occurring over the past few years with the provincial minimum wage being as low as $8 as recently as 2008.

$38k a year is $19 per Hour.
Ontario's minimum wage is $14 per hour roughly $28k a year.

The median individual income was $34,204 for Canada and $33,539 for Ontario.

And you cant afford to live in Toronto if you make less than 70k.

This is not sustainable.

— Jermaine Jupiter | Career Coach & Tech Recruiter (@JermaineJupiter) September 9, 2021

A number of other wage minimums also increase in October with the student wage going from $13.40 to $13.50, liquor servers' wage going from $12.45 to $12.55, and homeworkers from $15.70 to $15.80.

Even hunting, fishing, and wilderness guides will see a slight bump in their pay with the minimum for each going from $71.30 to $71.75.

Unfortunately, these wages would have all been well over $15 by now had Premier Doug Ford not frozen the minimum wage after taking power several years ago as the plan in place at the time was to see the general minimum wage reach $15.25 by the end of 2021.

Despite what online pundits will have you believe, the minimum wage increase will not make the cost of a fast food burger triple in price.

In fact, with many employers desperately seeking new staff, the new wage could help some establishments that have been seeking help hire more workers.

For federal employees the minimum wage will reach even higher by year's end, with the federal minimum wage set to hit $15 an hour by December 29.