Ontario student minimum wage lags $1.05 behind adult rate as workers question the gap

Students under 18 in Ontario now earn $16.90 an hour as of Thursday, Oct. 1—more than a dollar below the adult minimum wage of $17.95. The gap has drawn pushback from Toronto residents who argue students carry real financial obligations.

"People are already financially struggling, especially living in Toronto. So to have a student wage that is lower than minimum wage… I don't really understand why that's even a thing," said Wuu H., a Toronto resident. Wuu H. pointed out that many people under 18 have expenses like rent or phone bills.

Alfred T., another resident, framed it as a fairness issue: "If one person is doing a job that's paid minimum wage and another person is doing the same job that's paid student wage, that's not fair. They should be paid equally. Just because you're a student doesn't mean you're any less than an adult."

Mike T. added that student wage structures fail to account for education costs. "They're students, they're going to be saving up for their education. They are making Canada better overall by getting a post-secondary education."

The Workers Action Centre also weighed in, posting on Instagram that the increase was insufficient. "We know this is not enough. The yearly minimum wage cost-of-living adjustments we won in 2014 lag behind what workers need," the organization said.

The adult minimum wage rose 35 cents Thursday to $17.95, while the student rate climbed 30 cents to $16.90. Advocacy groups question why student wages remain structurally lower, and some argue the system is outdated given the cost of living in cities like Toronto.