Local labour officials say 15 cent increase to minimum wage is a start, but not enough

Ontario’s minimum wage is increasing, but one local labour official says it’s not nearly enough.

On Friday, the province announced the new minimum wage would be $11.40 an hour on October 1st from the current $11.25.

Henri Giroux, president of the North Bay and District Labour Council says it’s a start, but it doesn’t come close to what is needed.

He says 15 cents is really nothing when the price of food is rising so much.

Giroux says a minimum wage of 15 dollars an hour would put workers 10 per cent above poverty and that is what’s needed.

He says he is supportive of the 15 For Fairness campaign, involving a $15 minimum wage.

The province also announced the minimum wage for liquor servers will increase by 10 cents to $9.90 an hour in the fall.

The minimum wage for students under 18 working less than 28 hours a week will increase to $10.70 per hour from $10.55 at the same time.

People who work in their own homes for an employer will see their minimum wage increase from $12.40 to $12.55 an hour.

The province announces the new minimum wage before April 1 each year to give businesses time to adjust before it takes effect six months later.

The government passed legislation in 2014 to tie annual increases in the minimum wage to the rate of inflation for Ontario.