Minimum wage increase a positive for employees, a concern for businesses
Many Ontario employees will soon see a bump in their paychecks as Ontario increased the minimum wage as of Oct 1.
The increase, which was announced earlier this year, puts the new wage at $15.50. It follows an increase back in January when the rate went up by 65 cents to $15.
With Canada’s annual inflation rate reaching new highs, the 50 cent increase is a relief to those struggling with the cost of living.
“If you're a minimum wage worker of course you want to see an increase in your income, particularly right now given the cost you're facing as a worker have gone through the roof,” says Dan Kelly, the president & CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
The news is a win for employees. But it has proven to be a challenge for some businesses who have to incur the extra cost.
“I think the hardest pill for me to swallow is servers used to make less than others because they received gratuities. At the start of the year we were paying servers $12.50 an hour [and] now we’re paying $15.50 an hour," says Dave Monture, the owner of the Wortley Roadhouse in London, Ont.
Monture told CTV News London that they've had to slightly raise their prices this year due to the cost of food going up, which makes the minimum wage hike potentially another hurdle.
“We’re at a point where we’re starting to get closer to pre-pandemic sales numbers but the margins are just shrinking incredibly because the cost of everything going up so quickly," he adds.
According to the CFIB, 60 per cent of small businesses in Ontario are still not hitting their usual revenue levels.
“Minimum wage increases really disproportionately affect parts of the economy that are very labour intensive,” Kelly says. “They tend to be small businesses in retail, hospitality, the service sector. Coincidentally these are the very same sectors that were hit the hardest by pandemic restrictions.”
Students under the age of 18 are now earning $14.60 per hour, while homeworkers are seeing a raise of 55 cents to $17.05 per hour.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton has said Ontario will continue to announce each years planned wage that will take place every October.
The increase in minimum wage will be determined depending on inflation from previous years.
— With files from CTV’s News Kitchener’s Krista Sharpe
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.