After businessman floats $20 minimum wage, Quebec minister says no, but a hike is coming
Raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour would create a "significant economic shock," warned Quebec's labour and employment minister, Jean Boulet, on Wednesday.
With that, the Legault government closed the door to a proposal from the chairman of Cogeco's board of directors, Louis Audet.
He advocated the measure of "social justice" as a way of reducing income disparities.
In a press scrum Wednesday in the National Assembly, Boulet dismissed an increase that would send the current hourly rate on a jump of almost 50 per cent, from $13.50 to $20.
Legault has set himself the goal of reducing the wage gap with Ontario's average wage, but it will not be by increasing the minimum wage, said Boulet.
"We must go there gradually," said Mr. Boulet.
If the hourly rate suddenly goes to $20, "there would likely be layoffs," he said, because companies wouldn't be able to pay.
He also said there could be an increase in the dropout rate among students who would be attracted to leaving school to go straight into the job market.
"You have to be careful," he said
Boulet nevertheless hinted at a "significant increase" in the minimum wage next May due to the current upward pressure on wages.
He said he wanted to reminded reporters that the current calculation mechanism to set the minimum wage provides that it must equal 50 per cent of the average hourly rate in Quebec, which he said is currently around $26 to $27.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 27, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.