The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

HB NEWS THIS LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WEIGH IN ON MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@ metroland.com Premier Doug Ford's plan tc toraise Ontario’ 'smin- um wag t year is drawing mixed reactions from local residents and business owners. If the legislation is ulti- mately a passed, the genera’ from sia. 35 to $15 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2022 —a change that will equate t to an annual earnings crease of $1,350 for a full time worker, according to minim wage rate of $12.55 for liquor serv- ers will also be eliminated and replaced with the new $15 per hour wage. n Hills residents say it's too little, too late, others expressed concern about how the in- crease will impact the al- ready-rising prices of es- sentials like food and gas. “As someone working a minimum wage job, it's very much needed, but the cost of living will increase to cover the costs (for busi- nesses)," said Victoria IS GOING TO AFFECT PRICES: Graham Paine/ Metroland Red Harp Pub vice president Jason Shein and owner Samantha Shein (in front of bar) - seen here with staff members Trisha Luty and Kyle Jordan - say prices will likely have to rise with a minimum wage increase. Guest, who's working at a local grocery store after losing her career due to the pandemic. “If the payroll depart- mentneeds to pay theirem- ployees X amount per hour, they have to get that money from somewhere." The sentiment was ech- oed by Red Harp Pub vice president Jason Shein. The Acton restaurant is al- ready feeling the impact of food cost increases driven by the pace and global shippi "t "doesn't matter what industry you're in — this (minimum wage increase) is going to affect prices, plain and simple," he said, noting that he and wife Sa- _ rything tl gets handles by We 2 going to be affected. When you combine the minimum wage increase with food costs, it's going to be messy six to 12 months.” Shein noted ye Red Harp currently d pay many of its staff members T-vau fale ual-We\-\-1me(-1-]| olamer=|anlatsiel a=] aresm -melal-m aalela= ivaliare Mole merlal ol- Me] a-y-1 a=] m Compare rates from 30+ providers. InsuranceHotline. above minimum wagt Following Vord's 1 recent announcement, the Cana- dian Federation of Inde- pendent Business (CFIB) began sounding the alarm on how the minimum wage ise will impact small businesses like the Red A statement issued by the association urges the government to reconsider the timing of its * proposal, contending businesses are arene not making no! 1 sales while also dealing with other cost increases, supply chain is- sues and pandemic-related debt loads. "The Ontario govern- ment's surprise decision to increase the minimum wage without consultation comes at the worst possible time for small businesses," says the statement signed by CFIB top executives. "It is particularly con- cerning that the govern- ment has chosen a 0 sive restaurants hardest-hit nd coment shuttered sectors during the pandemic — 60 days' UL | 2 notice of a 20 per cent in- crease ($2. 45) to the gwar 3 3 servers' wage.” The CFIB is now c: calling in the Ford government to conduct an economic im- pact analysis and consult | busine: strategies. ; leanwhile, local afford- Ford's plan falls short on de- 8 8 livering the income neces- sary for someone to cover their basic life expenses. "It is a minimum wage, nota living wage," said the Acton woman. "Consider- ing that we should have had the increase three years ago, itis really a mat- lero of to0 little, too late." cording to the latest nuene released by the work, the calculated 2021 living wage for Halton is $20.75— the second highest out of almost two dozen re- gions analyzed by the net- work, coming in behind To- ronto's $22.08. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: With Ontario's minimum wage poised to increase soon, we wanted to find out what focal resi- dents think about the ne rate, and how it will im pact businesses as they prepare to cover the addi- tional expense. [i] SCAN THIS cope r more ‘a local news. a3.