Premier Doug Ford announced Tuesday that his government plans to reinstate a minimum wage increase to $15 that he cancelled three years ago.
At a news conference in Milton on Tuesday morning, Ford said the province is planning to boost the minimum wage in Ontario from $14.35 to $15 by next year.
A $15 minimum wage was to take effect by 2019 in a plan developed by the previous Liberal government but Ford suspended that when he took office and instead tied wage hikes beyond $14 to the rate of annual inflation.
He also passed a low-income tax credit that he said could effectively exempt full-time minimum wage earners from paying provincial income tax.
But an independent analysis showed the tax credit left all minimum wage earners worse off than they would have been with a $15 minimum wage.
Canada’s annual inflation rate has been hitting generational highs of between four and five per cent in recent months, making wages and purchasing power a top concern for many Canadians.
Deena Ladd, Executive Director of the Workers’ Action Centre, told CP24 Tuesday that it is clear to her Ford realizes he has made mistakes in how his government treats workers.
“This should have been in place three years ago in 2019, he also took away paid sick days and many other protections that would have made workers safer in a pandemic.”
“This is a complete election ploy, we’re eight months away. I think the Premier knows he was wrong and needs to make amends.”
Ford was joined in Milton Tuesday by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Labour Minister Monte McNaughton.
–With files from CP24’s Josh Freeman and CTV News Toronto’s Colin D’Mello
