Â鶹´«Ã½

Business

    • Minimum wage rises in six provinces, but is it enough?

    Share

    Amid a cost-of-living crisis driving up food bank visits and economic anxiety, the minimum wage increased in six provinces today – but both advocates and critics fear it may not be enough to tackle the overarching problem.

    While B.C., Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and the territories will see no changes to wage rates, the minimum wage in Ontario will go up to $16.55 an hour, Manitoba to $15.30, while Nova Scotia, P.E.I and Newfoundland and Labrador rise to $15.

    Saskatchewan’s minimum wage also rose today to $14, but is still the lowest in the country, trailing New Brunswick by 75 cents.

    Advocates welcome the raises, but say it is still not enough to help Canadians make ends meet.

    "Our living wage is actually $23 dollars and 15 cents,†Craig Pickthorne, communications coordinator with Ontario Living Wage Network, told CTV National News. “That means if you're working full time at minimum wage, even after this increase, you're still short by $230 a week."

    The increase represents for a person earning minimum wage and working 40 hours a week in Ontario.

    Post-secondary student Mya Copeland told CTV National News that the raise won’t fully cover increasing expenses.

    “No matter how much you raise minimum wage, things are always going to be so expensive,†Copeland said.

    Manitoba’s minimum wage has jumped up by $1.15 per hour, and is now trailing only Ontario, B.C. and the territories in minimum wage. In Canada, the highest minimum wage is in the Yukon, where workers receive $16.77 per hour, followed closely by B.C.’s $16.75 per hour minimum wage.

    Nunavut’s minimum wage is $16 per hour, and the Northwest Territories saw its minimum wage increase to $16.05 per hour in September.

    With this new increase, Nova Scotia workers are now earning $1.40 more per hour compared to last year.

    It’s a change that is eight years overdue, says one policy analyst, as the working class make more visits to the foodbanks.

    “They’re getting by by making very difficult choices, whether that may mean not filling their prescription drugs because they can’t afford to, that might mean sacrificing food,†Christine Saulnier, director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in Halifax, told CTV National News.

    In Saskatchewan, Food Banks of Canada’s poverty index gave the province a barely-passing grade in September, finding that more than a quarter of those surveyed were unable to afford items considered necessary for an adequate standard of living.

    The province has pledged to reach a $15 an hour minimum wage by Oct. 2024.

    The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says the wage increases seen today may create challenges for small business owners that can’t afford to pay their staff, predicting some may have to cut jobs.

    “It does push more businesses to try and look at what processes to try and be able to automate, whether they can reduce the number of hours that they have,†Dan Kelly, CEO of the group, told CTV National News.

    One economist, on the other hand, warns the minimum wage rises are only a Band-aid solution, and that inflation may cause overall costs to once again outstrip the gains of minimum wage.

    “That’s not going to fix the problem,†Moshe Lander, professor at Concordia University, told CTV National News.

    “At a time when the Bank of Canada is struggling to reign in inflation, I hate to say it, but this is an inflationary move on multiple provinces which increases the likelihood that at some point in the next six months, we’re probably going to talk about another interest rate increase again.â€

    A recent Leger survey found that half of young Canadians report living paycheque-to-paycheque, with an increasing number of millennials and Gen Z adults changing their spending habits due to the increasing cost of living.

    Advocates say they would like to see all levels of government step in with more policies across the board to support low income workers during these difficult economic times.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    Canada

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • LIVE

      LIVE

      Thousands of people are gathered in downtown Vancouver to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • An Ontario court says it sees no reason to review a decision to deny Peter Nygard bail while the former fashion mogul appeals his sexual assault convictions and sentence.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • Montreal Metro passengers can now flag a safety concern by texting a new phone number launched by the STM.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • During conciliation, more than 40 registered nurses reached a deal with their employer on a new three-year collective agreement the union said includes fair wages, hours of work and improved benefits.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½