The Ontario government plans to introduce new legislation as a part of the 2021 Fall Economic Statement. According to it, the general minimum wage will increase from CA$ 14.25 to CA$ 15 an hour. It will be effective from January 1, 2022. If the proposed changes are implemented, the special minimum wage rate for liquor servers will be eliminated, and they would need to adhere to the general minimum wage only.
If the new legislation is improved, students
under the age of 18, homeworkers, fishing, wilderness, and hunting guides will
also see an increase in the minimum wage rates.
The details were shared by Minister of Labour,
Premier Doug Ford, Monte McNaughton and Training and Skills Development, and
Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. The Premier said, “Ontario’s workers
have been the unsung heroes of this pandemic, as they’ve stocked shelves, kept
our supply chain moving, and helped so many of us enjoy a meal among family and
friends at a local restaurant. When we asked labor leaders what their
priorities were, increasing the minimum wage was at the top of the list. As the
cost of living continues to go up, our government is proud to be working for
workers, putting more money into their pockets by increasing the minimum wage.”
One of the reasons for this change is that
since the COVID-19, the cost of living has gone up, but the minimum wages have
not been increased. Minister McNaughton said, “Over the past few weeks, our
government has rolled out a historic number of reforms to rebalance the scales.
Building on these actions, today, our government is ensuring workers who need
our help the most receive their fair share of the economic pie. We will
continue to use every tool in our toolbox to help workers in our province find
meaningful careers that let them earn themselves bigger paychecks and build
better lives for themselves and their loved ones.”
Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, said, “An
incredible debt of gratitude is owed to the workers of Ontario. These dedicated
men and women kept store shelves stocked and supply chains going through the
pandemic. However, we also recognize that for too long workers have been
falling behind, and that wages for many have not kept up with the cost of
living. They had Ontario’s back, and now, our government has theirs. Ontario
workers should be in a race to the top, not a race to the bottom.”
If the legislation is passed, students below 18
who work 28 hours per week or less if the school is in session or work during
summer holidays or a school break would see their wages increase from CA$ 13.50
to CA$ 14.10 an hour. Homeworkers who do paid work in other people’s homes
would see the wages rise from CA$ 15.80 an hour to CA$ 16.50 an hour. Fishing
and Hunting guides will get CA$ 75 for working less than five consecutive hours
a day and CA$ 150.05 for working for five or more hours in a day.
by Shruti , BNS Business News
Source:
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001090/ontario-to-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour