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5 | Friday A ugust 4 , 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | w w w .insidehalton.com Chamber part of coalition urging delay on labour reforms The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is among many business sector representatives asking the Province for a "slow down" of the implementation of Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, recently proposed by the provincial government. The Keep Ontario Working (KOW) group, consisting of business sector representatives concerned with public policy regarding jobs and Ontario growth, sent an open letter to Premier Kathleen Wynne to push back the implementation of Bill 148. According to a media release from KOW, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act will bring major changes in less than six months, and as a result, Ontario' s employer community is concerned the pace of change will "seriously injure our economic growth." In response, KOW is calling on the provincial government to give businesses more time to better prepare. In its letter, the working group is asking the Province to consider the timing of implementation because, as it stands now, Ontario' s minimum wage will increase by 32 per cent in 18 months. "To demonstrate true fairness and compassion for workers, we must ensure Ontario has a strong economy to help create jobs and increase economic growth," stated Karl Baldauf, Ontario Chamber of Commerce vice-president of policy and government relations and KOW spokesperson, in the release. "To plan effectively and protect jobs, employers need predictability and time to adjust to these changes. There is no way to absorb and adjust to a 32 per cent hit in less than 18 months." Letter cites multiple issues The letter addresses a number of issues including the pace at which the proposed minimum wage will take effect. According to it, minimum wage in Ontario has increased by 12 per cent since 2010, and under the Province' s proposed changes, employers would be required to increase the minimum wage by a further 23 per cent in six months, followed by another 11 per cent a year later. "This represents a total increase of 32 per cent over just 18 months," KOW stated in letter. KOW also looked south of the border to see how implementations of similar minimum wage increases impacted businesses and the time it took to impose them, stating they were "significantly longer than ours" in some states, the group explained. For example, California is taking five years see Economic on p. 8 OAKVILLE UNITED TAXI A i r p o r t & O u t- o f-T o w n S e r v i c e h \eeIe i ra www.oakvilleunitedtaxi.com T h in k in g of R e tirin g ... Som eday? L e t 's T a lk . 2017 NOMINEE FOR BEST FINANCIAL PLANNER BEST INVESTMENT COMPANY P e te r W atso n M B A , CFP, R.F.P., C IM , FCSI Jen n ifer W atson B.A. 2 2 0 R andall S treet, D o w n to w n O akville 9 0 5 -8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 p eterw ats o n in vestm en ts.co m OAKVILLE TO TORONTO PEARSON AIRPORT STARTING FROM ONLY $45. CALL US FOR DETAILS.