How much you need to make to afford life in these Ontario cities [Video]

Although inflation has cooled and grocery prices aren’t growing as steeply as they were post-pandemic, high rental rates are continuing to put pressure on residents in Mississauga, Brampton and the rest of the GTA, making the geographic area unaffordable for minimum wage earners.

According to a recent report by the Ontario Living Wage Network, GTA residents must make at least $26 an hour to live comfortably. 

The report says that despite some positive trends, 2024 living wage rates have increased by an average of 3.4 per cent, largely due to shelter costs. According to the most recent National Rent Report, rents, while starting to decline slightly, are still high. In Toronto, the average price of a one-bedroom unit hit $2,380 last month (down over nine per cent from October 2023), while a one-bedroom in Mississauga cost about $2,308 (down just two per cent year-over-year). 

The average asking rent in Ontario was $2,350 …