Living wage in Waterloo Region jumps 8 per cent

Day-to-day life in Waterloo Region doesn’t come cheap, according to the latest living wage update.

Across Ontario, the living wage rose just over 5.3 per cent in 2025, but in Waterloo Region it was an 8 per cent jump.

The Ontario Living Wage Network said to live in the Dufferin-Guelph-Wellington-Waterloo area, a person needs to be making $23 per hour, which is up from $21.30 per hour in 2024.

Costs of food, shelter, clothing, communication, taxes and transportation were all taken into consideration.

“Despite the annual October 1st increase to the provincial minimum wage to $17.60, there is still no place in Ontario where you could work full-time and cover all your expenses,” reads a report.

The network says several things are driving up the costs, but food and shelter were the main factors.

“Statistics Canada Consumer Price Index, September 2025 reports that the cost of food was 3.5 per cent and 4 per cent higher than August and September of 2024.”

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) once again had the highest living wage rate at $27.20.

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