The Quebec government has recently announced it will be raising the province’s minimum wage to $10.35 an hour. Meanwhile, the debate over increasing minimum wages across Canada to meet today’s living standards continues to heat up.
Quebec’s Labour Minister Agnes Maltais made the announcement last Wednesday, February 5, stating the 20 cent hike from the current $10.15 per hour would come into effect on May 1, 2014.
For those working in the service industry and making tips, the minimum wage will increase to $8.90 per hour, a 15 cent increase.
“When we raise the electricity, when we raise the taxes, when everything is rising, [employees] are very much affected. So we need to increase the minimum wage, which is what we’re doing,” Maltais said.
Still, many groups find this not to be enough. Quebec Solidaire spoke out against what they consider an improper pay hike, stating the increase should have been at least $1.22 in order for workers to earn a proper wage.
Same debate in Ontario and British Columbia…
Ontario’s recent announcement that it will raise its minimum wage to $11 an hour has too sparked criticism. Many anti-poverty unions are demanding an immediate increase to a $14 minimum wage, as $11 per hour “is 16 per cent below the poverty line,” says Sonia Singh of the Workers' Action Centre, to the CBC.
At the same time, British Columbia activists are fighting for a $19.62 an hour ‘living’ wage – a wage that ensures a worker's basic living expenses such as food, clothing, shelter and transportation can be met. Incidentally, the minimum wage for the province is set at $10.25 an hour without any current plans for any increases.
Nova Scotia has also announced it will be raising the minimum wage to $10.40 an hour, effective April 1. Elsewhere in the country, minimum wages stand between Alberta’s $9.95 and Nunavut’s $11 an hour.