Ontario sheds record number of jobs due to big minimum wage increases

[Anonymous]

Ontario shed some 59,300 part-time jobs in January as the province implemented a $2.40 cent minimum wage hike at the start of the month.



The Statistics Canada report says the province shed 50,900 jobs total from December 2017.



The agency provided data showing the province gained approximately 8,500 full-time positions but lost roughly 59,300 part-time ones, noting that the figures are rounded.



That's 46,100 fewer people in part-time posts in January 2018 than the same time the previous year — a 3.4 per cent drop.



The province hiked minimum wage by some 20 per cent to $14 per hour at the beginning of the year, a move some economists said could result in mass job losses as employers look to reduce costs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-jobs-update-losses-minimum-wage-1.4528669">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/o ... -1.4528669">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-jobs-update-losses-minimum-wage-1.4528669



Despite what Wynn,  Notley and BC's Horgan say, higher unemployment is the result of quick rises in the minimum wage.

[Angry White Male]

I'm not sure how other job climates are around the country, but I can speak for what I see here around Vancouver...  Employers of entry level positions around here are screaming for workers.



Many are already paying above minimum wage just to attract and retain these workers.  So, I doubt a raise in the minimum will have much effect in unemployment numbers, at least around here.

[Anonymous]

Ontario shed some 59,300 part-time jobs in January as the province implemented a $2.40 cent minimum wage hike at the start of the month.



The Statistics Canada report says the province shed 50,900 jobs total from December 2017.



The agency provided data showing the province gained approximately 8,500 full-time positions but lost roughly 59,300 part-time ones, noting that the figures are rounded.



That's 46,100 fewer people in part-time posts in January 2018 than the same time the previous year — a 3.4 per cent drop.



The province hiked minimum wage by some 20 per cent to $14 per hour at the beginning of the year, a move some economists said could result in mass job losses as employers look to reduce costs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-jobs-update-losses-minimum-wage-1.4528669">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/o ... -1.4528669">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-jobs-update-losses-minimum-wage-1.4528669



Despite what Wynn,  Notley and BC's Horgan say, higher unemployment is the result of quick rises in the minimum wage.

We have fewer people in minimum wage service jobs than Ontario, but high minimum wages are having consequences here too....fewer Albertans are dining out and of course lower tips..



When I was a waitress I made more money from tips than my wage, so a fifteen or twenty per cent wage increase that I have to pay more tax on would have meant less take home pay.

[Anonymous]

Automation is replacing a lot of minimum wage service jobs. Rapid minimum wage increases are speeding up the process. Instead of forcing higher labour costs on small businesses, minimum wage earners should be taken off of income tax entirely. This would require federal and provincial governments to work together, which is the easy part. The hard part is getting them to agree to not tax low wage workers.

[Angry White Male]

To be honest, a part-time minimum wage worker really isn't taxed much at all.  Most of the taxes paid would be refunded come tax time anyhow...

[Anonymous]

To be honest, a part-time minimum wage worker really isn't taxed much at all.  Most of the taxes paid would be refunded come tax time anyhow...

At $15 per hour at 2080 hours per year equals $31,200 would have a combined federal and Alberta tax of over  $4100..



I agree with Seoul, taking low wage workers off of tax collection entirely is a better solution for workers and business owners.

[Angry White Male]

I would assume that as minimum wage increases, the tax brackets would be altered also, as historically minimum wage earners pay little to no tax.

[Bricktop]

One man's pay rise is another man's sacking.

[Anonymous]

I would assume that as minimum wage increases, the tax brackets would be altered also, as historically minimum wage earners pay little to no tax.

If they are part time,  yes.

[Anonymous]

One man's pay rise is another man's sacking.

Most servers in my province don't even want an increase in the minimum wage....it means less take home pay.

[Anonymous]

To be honest, a part-time minimum wage worker really isn't taxed much at all.  Most of the taxes paid would be refunded come tax time anyhow...

At $15 per hour at 2080 hours per year equals $31,200 would have a combined federal and Alberta tax of over  $4100..



I agree with Seoul, taking low wage workers off of tax collection entirely is a better solution for workers and business owners.

That's a lot of money to be taking from poor people. And that wouldn't include EI and CPP premiums either. I want better lives for working people. The best way is more jobs, but governments keep making it harder through regulations. But, for servers and such maybe taking them off of tax rolls does make more sense.

[Anonymous]

As Craig Alexander, Senior Vice-President and Chief Economist at The Conference Board of Canada said, there's a trade off between higher minimum wages and fewer jobs and hours worked.

[Wazzzup]

Its those damn Joos again.  































Okay, somebody had to say it now that scouse is gone. (scouse is if you're out there lurking, come back soon dude)

[Anonymous]

Its those damn Joos again.  

Okay, somebody had to say it now that scouse is gone. (scouse is if you're out there lurking, come back soon dude)

Come back Scouser. acc_hugz

[Angry White Male]

Most servers in my province don't even want an increase in the minimum wage....it means less take home pay.

I'm not sure I understand the economics of this...



The amount I tip isn't based on what I pay for my meal, or what amount the server is earning as a base wage.



I tip based simply on calculations I make when determining her level of customer service that she provides to me.