CMHA Ontario will be providing a submission to the provincial government on the minimum wage regulation and has set up a committee to ensure that its contribution is reflective of provincial perspectives. The submission is part of a provincial consultation process that gives the public an opportunity to provide input into how minimum wage is adjusted. Input can be provided through a consultation form or by email at minimumwage@ontario.ca.
Ontario’s minimum wage is set out in the Employment Standards Act and is intended to give employers a floor wage they cannot go below when paying employees (with some categorical exceptions).
The latest increase, a result of measures contained in the provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy (2008), has brought minimum wage in Ontario to $10.25, the highest among the Canadian provinces.
The new consultations will feed into the Ministry of Labour’s recently established minimum wage advisory panel and will help the panel make recommendations to the government about wage adjustments. The panel consists of a chair and five other members, including representatives from business, organized labour, non-union employees , and youth.
The government has produced a consultation paper to guide feedback that will be used in the advisory panel’s final recommendations to the ministry. Deadline for submissions is October 18, 2013. See the Ontario Ministry of Labour website.