Minimum Wage



Ford finally put the minimum wage up to $15 per hour. That’s after the Conservatives cancelled the increase 3 years ago. Andrea Horwath and the Ontario NDP are saying “Not good enough.” The minimum wage in Ontario should be $20 an hour. What’s going on?

The Ontario Living Wage Network in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives have done the research. They found that a Living Wage in Halton is $20.75 per hour. A “Living Wage” includes food, clothing, shelter, childcare, transportation, medical expenses, recreation and a modest vacation based on a family of 4 with 2 working adults. It does not include “Anything other than the smallest cushion for emergencies or hard times.” Clearly then, $15 is not good enough.

An Ontario NDP government would see the minimum wage catch up to $20 per hour by 2026 with a special fund set up for local small and medium businesses that struggle with the transition to a Living Wage. In the long run business will benefit from having a healthier, happier group of employees. Happier because they only need to work 40-48 hours a week. Healthier because they are not working in multiple jobs.

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