Understanding the debate around the minimum wage

Ontario workers will see an increase in their minimum wage to $14 per hour starting Jan. 1.

The move is part of legislation – the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act – that seeks to bring more job security to workers in Ontario.

The new law orders things such as equal pay, the prohibition of employers asking for a doctor’s note in emergency situations and increasing family leave.

This act came about as a way to address the findings in the Changing Workplaces Review, which assessed the Employment Standards Act from 2000 and the Labour Relations Act from 1995.

The Ontario government’s decision to pass this act has sparked immense reaction from the public, with some turning to social media to express their opinions.

“Critics of the $15 minimum wage in Ontario are forgetting that some things such as rent, can’t go up until the end of the lease. So yes, while food prices may go up to match the wages, at least my rent will be more affordable,” one user tweeted.

“Everyone that I’ve heard complaining about the minimum wage increase in my province seems to think people who work part time jobs don’t deserve to live,” another user tweeted.

Meanwhile, businesses worry about how they will afford to pay the increase.

“The government did not consult on the $15 minimum wage before the bill was introduced and repeatedly ignored our calls for an economic impact analysis to determine whether businesses can weather a whopping 32 per cent minimum wage increase in a mere 15 months,” said Julie Kwiecinski, the director of provincial affairs for the Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

“They also turned a blind eye to numerous surveys and evidence-backed studies warning of significant job losses, especially among lower-skilled workers,” she added in a news release.

The following year, the minimum wage is slated to rise again – to $15 per hour.