Minimum wage legislation will require employers to pay their employees $14 an hour in 2018 and $15 an hour in 2019.
"This increase, as well as the speed of its implementation, will have an impact that will be felt across the province," says Northern Ontario Party leader Trevor Holliday. "Time will only tell if this is a clever idea or not. We are all anxiously waiting and hoping for a benefit to our young and low-income workers; especially with the noticeable surge in self-serve cash out counters popping up in most of the popular retailers and fast food outlets. Can the North with our limited employers support the speed of this minimum wage; or will it cause more damage to our fragile job market?
"Wynne and her party have announced for several months that Ontario has led the country with positive job growth; only later to have it revealed that the only winners were Toronto and Ottawa. Northern Ontario cities under the Liberal rule were the real losers with a continuing trend of losing more jobs than their southern counterparts. The Northern Ontario Party believes with this additional burden to Northern employers and no signs of real support from Queens Park; The speed of this new legislation will only amplify the job losses in the North."
