Low-wage workers in Prince George will have more money in their pocket on Monday.
The Provincial government is raising the minimum wage to $14.60, an increase of nearly a dollar from June of 2019.
Eoin Foley is the President of Downtown PG and owns three businesses, he told MyPGNow.com the wage hike is a double-edged sword.
“It’s a very interesting time to have this minimum wage increase. Many businesses that qualify for the 75-percent wage subsidy won’t really feel the effects of it right away but those that didn’t qualify are going to feel that pinch this summer and again next year.”
However, the wage increase may cause some additional headaches for business owners who are already struggling due to COVID-19 as some have remained closed since March or are only at half-capacity.
Foley adds the consumers will be impacted the most.
“Minimum wage needs to increase, the cost of living goes up and so the wages need to match that and what the consumers need to be aware of is that prices for everything are going up with it.”
He states there wasn’t much of a point in opposing the increase as it will further benefit the people who are working for them.
“At the end of the day, we know it’s going to happen and we have to adjust as business owners with increasing the cost of doing business and at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the people who are working for us.”
Laird Cronk is the President of the BC Federation of Labour who believes it’s crucial the earnings go up for minimum wage employees.
“It puts the minimum wage below the poverty line for many workers and as we restart our economy we want to make sure the workers who are on the front line making the profits for employers as we restart are safe and that they have a wage that’s going to allow them to be above the poverty line.”
“We need to look at where we came from. The raise on the minimum wage was put into place in 2017 by our government over a four-year period and they were predictable for employers as they would happen, which is in contrast to the ten years under the BC Liberals where there was no minimum wage increase.”
BC’s minimum wage is slated to rise to $15.20 next year.
For a full breakdown of the minimum wage rates by province click here.