Minimum Wage Rate Increase in Ontario 

Circular Note No. XDC-1622 of February 24, 2014

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada and has the honour to advise of a change of the Minimum Wage in Ontario.

Effective June 1, 2014, the minimum hourly wage for work performed in Ontario will be increased to eleven dollars per hour ($11.00/hour). The Department would like to take this opportunity to remind Diplomatic missions that all domestic workers working for diplomatic agents or consular officers under the Department’s Domestic Worker Accreditation Program must, without exception, be treated in accordance with prevailing provincial labour standards, including payment of at least minimum wage.

The payment in cash of salaries and emoluments of domestic workers is strictly prohibited under Canadian policy. More broadly, the Department relies on Heads of Mission to ensure domestic workers of their missions’ staff are properly paid in accordance with all applicable norms and may, in the interests of verifying compliance, request proofs of payment at any time.

The Department furthers relies on the cooperation of Heads of Mission to relay a copy of the enclosed bulletin (“Accredited Domestic Workers in Diplomatic Households - About your Rights and Protections”) to each employer of a domestic worker for mandatory onward transmittal to that worker. The Department may undertake related compliancy checks.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (Office of Protocol) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada the assurances of its highest consideration.

OTTAWA, February 24, 2014