• You must have a regular pay period and a regular pay day.
  
  
• A pay period is a stretch of time where you work and your hours are tracked. Your pay period should stay the same each time, for example:
  weekly every 7 days, biweekly every 14 days, or monthly.
  
  
• Pay days are the specific dates when you get paid.
  
  
• Bad bosses will try to make excuses to delay your payments. They might say something like:
  “I cannot pay you because my client has not paid me yet.”
  “We cannot do payroll this week because our accountant is on vacation.”
  
  
• But it does not matter what they say. You must be paid fully, on time and receive a pay stub which shows all the details of your wages (deductions, Employment Insurance, etc.)
  
  
• If you are not getting paid with a regular pay period, it’s very important for you to keep accurate written records of when you worked, how much you got paid, and when you were paid.

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#2 You are unsure who your boss is

• Bad bosses will purposely make it confusing for you to know who is legally responsible for paying you.
  
  
• For example, they might send you to work at the office of Company A. Then when you get paid, your cheques come from Company B. But you are supervised daily by someone from Company C!
  
  
• This complicated structure (allowed by our labour laws) lets bad bosses distance themselves from responsibility for paying you properly. They might tell you:
  “You do not work for us, you work for 12345 Ontario Inc.”
  “You were hired by a subcontractor. We already paid the subcontractor. Go talk to them.”
  
  
• If you are not sure who your employer is, start collecting proof of who pays you and who you work for. For example:
  What is the name and address on e-Transfers and paycheques?
  What are the names, job titles and contact information of the people who supervise you every day?
  Keep a record of all the addresses where you are sent to work.
  
  
• If you have the right evidence, you may be able to show which companies are jointly responsible so your boss cannot shift the blame.
  
  
• Our weak labour laws are the cause of why so many of us have a hard time making the real employers held accountable. 

#3 You and your coworkers’ tips never add up  

• Employers cannot deduct from your tips if you spill or damage something, or if a customer does not pay their bill.
  
  
• However, employers can deduct from your tips to contribute to a “tip pool.” They get to decide how much workers must contribute, who gets to participate in the tip pool, and when the pool is paid out.
  
  
• The problem is: Ontario’s labour laws do not adequately protect workers’ tips. The Ontario Ministry of Labour:
  
  
  • Does not require employers to provide workers with a detailed written statement of their tips.
    
    
  • Does not enforce the terms of tip pool policies. For example, if you were supposed to receive 5% of the tip pool but receive only 3%, the Ministry will not do anything.
    
    
  • Does not always require tip pool policies to be public. They only require a written public tip pool policy if the employer, director or shareholders share in the tip pool.
    
    
• This makes it difficult to find out if your boss is stealing your tips and whether you can fight back against this.
  
  
• If you are worried that your tips are being stolen, you might not be the only one. Ask coworkers that you trust and see if their tips are adding up. If you and your coworkers want to do something, reach out to the Workers’ Action Centre and we can help you figure out what to do.

We need to change our labour laws to make sure all of us are protected on the job! Get involved in the Stop Wage Theft campaign so we can collectively fight for stronger tip legislation and worker protections! Share this information with other workers you know. If you are experiencing any of these or the first 5 signs we warned you about, get in touch with us at 416-531-0778.

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Did you know that all Ontario workers must provide a pay stub on or before your pay day?  Pay stubs must include things like i) what was the pay period ii) what is your gross wages and how it’s calculated, iii) what was deducted and why were they deducted, and iv) your net pay. 

Many of us do not receive pay stubs when we get paid. This is illegal. Your boss might not be providing you with it to hide the fact that they are not paying you for every hour you worked. Or they might be deducting too much from your pay and claim it is for taxes. Without a paystub, this is hard to spot.

If you do not get a paystub you should immediately start documenting your pay. For example, if you received payment in cash, you could text your employer to confirm the total amount of money you received and your hours worked. You could also save a copy of the text or email where you received an E-transfer deposit.

#2 You have no contact information for your boss

If you are offered work by anyone, try to get the legal name of the employer and any other business names they use. You should also find out your employer’s contact information, such as full name, address, phone number, websites and email. (Did you know that if you work for a company who employs 25 or more workers, they are legally required to provide this?) And if you are taken to different job sites to work, make sure you take a picture of the workplace and document each address.  

In our experience, bad bosses will try to disappear when workers are trying to get them to pay unpaid wages. These bosses will only give you a first name or a nickname and a phone number. Or they might give you different names or fake company names so you do not know who you are actually working for.

If your employer does not give you their contact information, start collecting as much information as you can while you are on the job. For example, you can find out the name, address and contact information of your supervisors, take photos of the company’s license plates, or write down the addresses of all the places you are sent to work.

#3 You never signed an employment contract

Many of us do not get an employment contract when we start work or we only have a verbal agreement for wages, hours and start date. Sometimes we are asked to sign something or are shown a contract but the boss does not give us a copy. 

Bad bosses will do this so that they can scam you out of wages. In our experience, bosses deliberately make contracts verbally to pay you less than what they promised. Some will even pretend they do not know you and deny that you even worked for them.

If you do not get a written contract from your boss, make sure you document texts or emails confirming details such as hourly wage, hours, job duties, start dates and pay schedules. For example, you can send a text or email saying, “Looking forward to working with you John. I am just confirming that I will get paid $22 an hour, I will start on May 1 at 8am and I will be working a 45 hour week with you.”  Even if you do not have a written employment contract, documenting your actual pay and working conditions is useful.

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#4 You are paid per hour, but you never have to submit timesheets tracking your hours.

Documenting the hours you work is important in challenging wage theft. Without an accurate log of hours, how will you know you are being paid overtime? Or that you are paid for when you had to come in 30 minutes earlier to set up, and had to leave 30 minutes later to clean up?

If you do not submit timesheets, keep an accurate record of the start and end times for each working day.  And if your boss asks you to come in earlier or stay later, write it down or save the text message. In our experience, bad bosses do not want you to accurately track your hours so they can get away with paying you for fewer hours

And even if you do submit timesheets, make sure you make your own copies  of them.  Sometimes hours worked are recorded on a calendar or note book in the workplace. And once you leave the job, you cannot go back in to see it. Or sometimes your hours are logged on a website your company uses and they delete your account once you leave the job. Take copies such as screenshots or photos of your time sheets.

#5 You are told you are on a “trial shift” and won’t be paid

Many of us desperately need work right now. As a result, we can easily be taken advantage of  by employers who make a lot of promises. For example, some bad bosses will promise they will hire you but need you to do a “trial shift” first that will not be paid.

Unpaid trial shifts are illegal. If you work, you need to be paid for your time. If training is required to do the job after you are hired, you need to be paid for your time. For example, if in a restaurant you are serving tables, cooking and cleaning, you must be paid for all that time. It does not matter if they call it “training”, a “trial shift” or “probation.”

As soon as your boss tells you they are not paying you for your training, make sure you begin documenting everything. As mentioned in the 4 signs above, this includes contact information, working conditions and hours of work.

If your boss did any of these 5 things to you, they might have been stealing your wages! So if you have any questions about wage theft, call us on our free and confidential phone line at 416-531-0778 to find out what to do. 

There has been a lot of talk about the new rules for employers when they are posting jobs and hiring workers in Ontario.

Let’s look at these new rules and see if workers are better protected. In our experience at the Workers’ Action Centre, any new protections need to go hand in hand with real enforcement and strong consequences for breaking the law.

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There are 5 changes to Ontario job postings.

These new rules apply to any publicly-advertised job listing posted by an employer with more than 25 employees.

1.     Salary must be listed
NEW: Employers need to include the job’s rate of pay or a pay range in every job posting. This pay range cannot be larger than $50,000.

• First of all, a $50,000 pay range is too large. There is a big difference between a $20,000/year and a $70,000/year job.
• Nothing in the law requires the employer to offer you a job within the compensation range in the listing. In other words, while an employer must include a wage range within the public job posting, they do not have to offer you that wage if they hire you.
• Did you know that back in 2018 the previous Ontario government had passed the Pay Transparency Act which had much stronger rules forcing employers to be honest about how much they were paying employees. This would have helped with pay equity and addressing the racial and gendered wage divide between workers. But when the Ford government came into power, they blocked the implementation of this important new law.
• Also in 2018, we had “equal pay for equal work” legislation. That law made employers pay the same wages for the same work as a way to address the rise of part-time, contract and temp work. Sadly, this was only in place for 8 months before the Ford government got rid of it.

2.     Canadian work experience cannot be required
NEW: Employers cannot require Canadian work experience or Canadian education in their job postings. 

• Discrimination based on citizenship is already illegal according to the Ontario Human Rights Code. Of course, it’s important that now our labour laws reflect the same rule. But what do workers do if they face this discrimination during a hiring process? If you want to file a human rights complaint, you will be faced with a multi-year process because of the huge backlog of cases.
• Workers also cannot file anonymous complaints with the Ministry of Labour which means that the employer would find out. This could jeopardize any future prospects with that employer. 
• Therefore without real enforcement, workers still will not be protected from this discrimination at every stage of the hiring process.

3.     Employers must provide a response after an interview
NEW: Employers must now contact every person they interviewed for a job within 45 days of the interview to let them know whether they were hired. 

• 45 days is still a long time to wait for an update. And employers still do not need to respond to applicants that they did not interview.

4.     Job postings need to say if there are actual vacancies
NEW: A job posting must include whether it is for a current vacancy so workers know whether there is an actual job available when they apply. 

• Even if employers post that there are real vacancies, the law does not require them to actually fill that available job.

5.     Job postings must state if they use AI
NEW: Employers must include a statement if they are using artificial intelligence to screen or select candidates.

• Employers do not need to include any details of the AI system or how it will be used. These new rules do not prevent or limit the use of AI.
• As a result, this provides very little protection for workers. It basically requires employers to admit that they are using AI without any way to enforce fairness and protections.

If the Ontario government was “Working for Workers”, we would have stronger enforcement of our basic labour laws.

It is clear that these new rules are completely inadequate in protecting workers throughout the hiring process. The real problem that needs to be addressed is an enforcement process that depends on workers to file complaints.  The government is relying on workers to identify problems and report them, which takes time, energy and potentially jeopardizes their employment.

It is unfair to expect workers to be the ones identifying and reporting job postings or hiring processes that do not follow the rules, especially without any protection for doing so.

That is why the Ontario government must better enforce violations to the Employment Standards Act by taking proactive steps like hiring more Employment Standards Officers and doing inspections rather than relying on workers to do their job for them.

Our Wage Theft Campaign demands just that: Better enforcement and protections for workers at every stage of the process. To learn more and join the movement, check out the Wage Theft Campaign!

Read the report

This report is based on survey results from over 400 truck drivers across Canada. Whether provincially or federally regulated, these truck drivers face the same situation of being underpaid and overworked.

Some shocking statistics from this report include:

• Trucking makes up only 17% of federally-regulated employment, yet it has 85% of Federal Canada Labour Code violations.
• The misclassification rate for federally regulated trucking companies is 40% nationally, but it goes as high as 62% in Ontario. 
• By misclassifying truck drivers as independent contractors, bad employers pocket $20,000 to $30,000 per driver per year in unpaid wages.
• Yet the Federal government has only fined 3 employers for misclassification since 2022. 

That’s why truck drivers are organizing across Canada to demand justice. The report is calling for 3 main campaign demands:

1. Minimum pay rates, whether drivers are paid per mile or per hour.
2. No unpaid work so all miles driven and all hours spent at work are paid.
3. Close the gaps so employers cannot evade the law. (And then actually enforce those laws!)

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These demands echo our Stop Wage Theft campaign demands. We are organizing at the Workers’ Action Centre to ensure our government enforces the law, fixes our labour law, and protects workers who stand up for their rights on the job.

Come organize with us and join the movement to stop wage theft. If you haven’t already, please sign the petition:

Our wage theft committee met this week, excited to plan outreach and actions you can join. In case you missed it, watch this video of our Rally to Stop Wage Theft outside the Ministry of Labour on November 29. It features Workers’ Action Centre members sharing their experiences of wage theft:

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Employment Standards Officers (ESOs) investigate complaints of workplace violations, but there haven’t been enough of them. The hiring of more ESOs just might be evidence that we’re pushing Ontario in the right direction.

Our report, The crisis of wage theft in Ontario, shows that the government’s weak labour law enforcement is one major reason why we have a wage theft crisis:

• Though Ontario’s workforce had grown by 16% since 2014, the number of ESOs at the Ministry of Labour was frozen at 115. 
• The Ministry of Labour conducted 77% fewer workplace inspections in 2024 than it did six years before.

Late last year, there was a posting to hire 39 more ESOs. We hope this means the Ministry of Labour is getting ready to do its job! In greater numbers, ESOs could stop employers with workplace violations before they commit wage theft. But only if they are given the power, training and directive from the government to conduct proactive workplace inspections. 

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More ESOs alone won’t guarantee an end to wage theft. Workers still need to see the Ontario government enforce and close gaps in our labour laws. And we need real power and job protection to stand up for ourselves and our coworkers.* 

We won’t stop until our members leading this struggle get the hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages they’re owed! We won’t give up until Ontario employers think twice before stealing workers’ wages – and face real consequences if they do.

Will you join the movement? 

Tell our government to stop wage theft, and follow us on social media. 

Have questions about your pay cheque or know someone who is dealing with wage theft? Call us on our confidential hotline at 416-531-0778. 

Interested in organizing a workshop in your community on wage theft and how to fight it? Email us at info@workersactioncentre.org to get connected. 

* When we ask for what we’re owed, we are fired and no reason has to be given. That’s why our demands include “just-cause protection” so employers cannot fire us without giving us a good reason. We also demand “protection for concerted activity” so that we cannot be fired for joining with our coworkers to demand our rights.

Yet it has also been a year of incredible growth at WAC. Many workers in our membership learned more about their rights, and shared that knowledge to protect each other. We supported many workers to take on their employers and to fight wage theft and discrimination. Meanwhile, many stepped up to lead the fight for better worker rights.

Click to watch WAC members in action:

Tell the government to Stop Wage Theft | Share video on Facebook and Instagram 

Early in the year, WAC members in our worker leadership programs hit the ground running. During the provincial and federal elections, they helped other workers understand Employment Insurance, why it needs to be strengthened and what safety net is required due to the economic crisis that worsened with the US tariffs. 

Then, during the summer, WAC members stood with migrant workers’ groups against Prime Minister Carney’s anti-immigrant “Strong Borders Act.” Disguised as a law to fight crime and protect Canada’s borders, Bill C-2 (now Bill C-12) actually attacked migrant rights by giving the government powers to make refugee status, permanent residency and study permits much harder to access. And we know that without permanent immigration status, workers are more likely to be exploited by bad bosses.

September 20, 2025: WAC members Draw the Line against Bill C-12 and wage theft

Workers wanted to fight back against this threat and many others. It stoked a fire in us to declare our city a welcoming space for all immigrants – who have always been essential to our communities and economy. That’s why we joined over 50 organizations across the country to Draw the Line against policies that will hurt workers, communities, the environment, and rip families apart. Our members also made their voices heard outside Toronto Centre MP Evan Solomon’s office. Though Bill C-12 was passed by Members of Parliament, there’s still time to take action: Tell Senators to Vote NO on Bill C-12

November 20, 2025: WAC members visit Toronto Centre MP Evan Solomon

Finally, we launched the Stop Wage Theft campaign this fall. Almost 200 people came together to hear from workers fighting to get back their unpaid wages – and to improve Ontario’s labour laws for everyone. WAC’s ground-breaking report, The crisis of wage theft in Ontario, was also released, offering clear recommendations on how the government can stop wage theft. In November, we voiced our demands outside the Ministry of Labour. Join the fight against wage theft, and help us hold the government and employers accountable! 

November 29, 2025: WAC members tell the Ministry of Labour, “Do you job!” | Share on X/Twitter

Yes, harmful laws were pushed through this year. Yes, there were public service cuts, government mishandling of funds, and greedy employers stealing wages. But it only stoked the fire in workers to fight for a better future for us all, and drove us towards the deeper organizing it will take to get there. 

In 2026, we’ll be ready to defend ourselves and each other at work and everywhere. We will not stop demanding the justice and dignity we all deserve.

On October 28, 2025 almost 200 workers came together to launch the Stop Wage Theft campaign. WAC released the ground-breaking report that documents rampant wage theft: 

• 60% of workers surveyed report that their employer stole their wages
• More than half of workers did not receive overtime premium pay
• Living pay cheque to pay cheque is hard. But it is devastating for the 47% of workers that reported that their pay was late, creating financial problems 

The Stop Wage Theft campaign will target the Ford government that has slashed enforcement since it came into power in 2018. Workplace inspections have been cut by 77% and penalties for employers found guilty of wage theft have dropped by 85%. No wonder employers have gotten away with refusing to pay workers over $80 million in wages. 

We will also focus on employers who steal our wages. We must stop employers that use subcontracting and hire us as contractors instead of employees to avoid the law while they profit from our labour. 

Workers like Alberto, Julieta, Maria Elena, Isaias, Taofeek, Gursaab, Gurman, and others at the Workers’ Action Centre are leading the campaign. 

Alberto’s story

Alberto is still waiting for more than $31,000 owed to him, years after the Ministry of Labour ordered his employer to pay. His case was profiled in the Toronto Star on October 18th and he spoke at the campaign launch. Alberto underscored the key campaign demand to the government: Ministry of Labour – Do Your Job!

The government must stop relying on employers to voluntarily follow the law, and start enforcing our labour rights and holding wage thieves accountable. We need action to: 

• Identify all employers who break the law and steal workers’ wages through proactive and expanded inspections;
• Make sure employers repay all wages owing to workers by improving collections and prosecuting those that do not pay;
• Make sure employers compensate workers for the damage caused by wage theft by paying 3 times the wages stolen; and
• Penalize all wage theft employers to stop future violations.

Julieta’s story

Julieta is owed almost $6,000 from her job cleaning in a City of Toronto long-term care home. Her case was also featured in the Toronto Star on October 24th. Julieta told us at the launch that wage theft is not just a bounced cheque. Even though she wore a City of Toronto uniform, the City did not take responsibility for unpaid wages – the City had contracted out the work.

The system of subcontracting allows big companies to take advantage of workers and hide behind layers of subcontractors. Julieta joined the call because she wants to help fix the laws that let companies avoid their responsibility to workers. We need action to: 

• Make companies at the top of the supply chain responsible for wages and labour rights down the contracting chain. 
• Stop employers from misclassifying employees as independent contractors.

Former Columna Workers

Many workers who don’t have any protection at work are supposed to report wage theft. Yet, as Isaias said at the campaign launch, when he and his coworkers got together to discuss late paycheques, unpaid overtime, vacation and holiday pay, the boss fired him. They accused him of trying to start a union. Four workers were owed over $35,000 but the employer has so far refused to pay all the money owed.

As Isaias said, the system needs to change to protect workers instead of allowing employers to exploit us. These are the changes we need: 

• We must have the right to take action together to enforce our ESA rights and improve working conditions. This should happen without any employer interfering with us. This is called protection for concerted activity. 
• Workers need “just cause” protections that make an employer provide valid reasons before firing employees.

Former Sunrise Workers

Employers can hide from their responsibilities to workers through complex contracting business models. This Toronto Star article exposes one owner who owes $250,000 in unpaid wages and compensation. WAC supported 13 of these workers fighting to recover their stolen wages. The restaurant had advertised to job seekers saying the pay was above minimum wage. In fact, these workers were paid less than minimum wage. Wages were delayed, paycheques bounced, and they did not get overtime pay for working 17-hour shifts all week. 

Though the Ontario Ministry of Labour ruled that the employer owed Taofeek $30,000 and Gursaab $19,000, they and six other workers are still waiting for their hard earned money.

It’s time for change.

Join the Stop Wage Theft campaign! 

Rally to Stop Wage Theft

Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Ministry of Labour, 400 University Avenue (St. Patrick subway station)
RSVP to join us on November 29

On Saturday, November 29 at 1:00 pm, join the rally outside the Ministry of Labour at 400 University Ave, Toronto. Show solidarity with workers fighting for unpaid wages. Members of the Workers’ Action Centre who are owed over $400,000 in unpaid wages will be calling on the government to do their job! 

Together, we can stop employers from getting away with wage theft.

Other ways to join the movement

Send an email to tell your local Member of Provincial Parliament: It’s time to Stop Wage Theft now!

Did your employer steal your wages? Call the Workers’ Action Centre hotline at (416) 531-0778. All calls are free and confidential. 

Want to learn more about wage theft? Take a look at these wage theft resources:

• Primer: An organizer’s guide to wage theft
• Policy Report: The crisis of wage theft in Ontario

We would love to work with you to organize a workshop in your community for workers who may be dealing with wage theft. Contact us at info@workersactioncentre.org.  

Our Feet on the Ground (FOG) program gives workers the chance to develop the leadership skills to share critical workers’ rights information with other workers in precarious jobs. This year, Rathekka participated in the FOG program as a WAC Senior Leader. Here’s what she had to say about her leadership training at WAC – and how it’s helping her community in Scarborough.

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What’s one way that you have grown by being a WAC Senior Leader?

Leading discussions with workers is one of the pathways to growing my confidence. At first, I was nervous to be the MC at our member meetings in Scarborough – whether in Tamil or in English, which is not my first language. Not feeling confident, I still gave it a try and I got used to it. Now I love MCing at meetings and talking with workers at outreach events and workers’ rights workshops. I didn’t have any opportunity to do this before being in WAC’s Senior Leadership program. 

I’m confident taking the lead in organizing worker events in my community. It’s good to talk with people directly and listen as they explain the issues they face. I’m enjoying the questions and responses.

In leading meetings, workshops and outreach, what kinds of workplace problems have people told you about?

When I tell people how WAC is building a workers’ movement, I always ask if they face workplace issues. Most of their issues are wage theft. People are not getting paid and are scared to speak out because they think they’ll get reported or their immigration status will be affected.

Employers are giving training and not paying them for three weeks of work! I tell them their rights, that we’re supposed to be paid for training. But many workers still don’t feel they can leave or speak out because they need that job. They are scared because they don’t know what will happen to their future. 

How does your training at WAC support workers in your community?

Being a Senior Leader and part of the FOG program lets me take leadership to inform the community about our rights. Lots of people don’t know about the Workers’ Action Centre. I had workplace issues but didn’t find out about WAC and the support they give until too late. So, I wanted to let the Tamil and other communities know about the education and support WAC gives. We’re so focused on needing to get work, but it’s important to know our rights, too.

What are you looking forward to achieving next year?

We are planning to hold more workshops for the people we’ve connected with this year. Definitely, their confidence level is going up. But even though they know their rights now, lots of workers are scared to ask their managers for their rights. They ask me, “What happens if we lose our jobs?” I want to keep being there to help grow our power together. 

I can see, step by step, I’m growing. We are all growing together, increasing our power. 

As Rathekka’s confidence grows through training at WAC, she lifts up the workers around her. The more FOG participants we can support, the stronger the decent work movement becomes. Please make a donation to help fund our worker education programs. 

*The Ontario Employment Education & Research Centre (OEERC) supports community leadership development. All donations go to the OEERC Education and Leadership Fund for Workers in Precarious Employment to create collaborative community leadership development and educational projects with WAC. Tax receipts are available for donations of $10 or more.

While the Ford government makes it easier for bad employers to get away with it, workers are standing up and fighting back!

Webinar: Fighting Back Against Wage Theft in Ontario
Tuesday October 28 | 7:00 pm
Register for the link to join
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The Workers’ Action Centre’s new report exposes how widespread the problem is and what needs to change. We’ll take a look at how weak labour laws continue to make wage theft a serious issue across different sectors. Loopholes and lack of enforcement allow employers to avoid responsibility and deny workers the protections we all deserve. 

Join the webinar on October 28 for a special introduction to the report, featuring courageous workers who have experienced wage theft and are organizing for justice.

Together, we’ll talk about real solutions to stop wage theft, hold employers accountable, and fight poverty in our communities.

• See the facts from the report
• Hear real stories from workers
• Learn how to take action and join the fight for decent work and fair pay

RSVP to receive a Zoom link for the webinar via email.

Ahead of the webinar, check out our Stop Wage Theft page to learn more. 

In solidarity,

Workers’ Action Centre

Every year, the minimum wage changes to keep up with the cost of living as measured by the latest CPI rate* – an important law we won in 2014. Without this law, minimum wage earners would not be getting any increases! But no matter how you stretch that 40-cent increase, it is not enough. 

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Workers cannot be expected to rely on this yearly minimum wage adjustment alone. As the affordability crisis deepens, so does the urgency for decent wages. Since 2021, our decent work movement has been pushing for at least $20, but the Ontario government has not listened or taken steps to show it cares about workers. In the last few years, we have seen corporate profits go way up, yet many of these big businesses pay their workers the bare minimum. Instead of the Ontario government making sure there is rent control and that grocery prices are regulated, working people are being forced to work longer hours, work multiple jobs or buy less food in order to pay rent. 

The Workers’ Action Centre supports lots of women, racialized people, and immigrants of all ages and in a range of sectors who spend several years – even decades – struggling to survive on low-wages. Lynn, a WAC member who has been working for about 20 years, says, “It’s still hard to find a job. When I do, it’s mostly at factories and restaurants.” About the new minimum wage, Lynn says, “I wouldn’t get a raise if it weren’t for the October 1st increase. But it still is not enough compared to how much prices have gone up. It won’t help my family much with paying for food and rent.” 

Minimum wage earners are not only young people expecting to move on to better paying jobs soon after graduation. They include workers in precarious, unstable jobs, which are disproportionately filled by migrants, people of colour and women. None of them deserve poverty wages and inequality.

If you made less than $17.60 an hour before October 1st, check your next pay slip to ensure you are being paid correctly. If you need support, call our workers’ rights phone line at (416) 531-0778. 

If you believe we need a minimum wage that lifts workers out of poverty, and is backed by real enforcement from the Ministry of Labour – join the movement!

*The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices experienced by consumers for a fixed basket of goods and services that include food, housing and transportation. Statistics Canada uses CPI as a key indicator of the rate of inflation.