'It's definitely been a long time waiting': Local workers and businesses react to minimum wage increase


Stephanie Villella
CTV News Kitchener Videographer
Published Jan. 1, 2022

WATERLOO -

Starting Saturday, minimum wage in Ontario increased to $15 per hour, up from the previous rate of $14.25.

"It’s definitely been a long time waiting," said Ray Billedeau, a bartender in Kitchener.

The boost in wages is also for liquor servers. Under old legislation, bartenders and servers made below minimum wage at $12.55 per hour, the rest was made up in tips.

The province has now scraped the special minimum wage rate for liquor servers.

"We have to be careful with overserving and dealing with rowdiness sometimes," Billedeau said. "I think the whole $15 an hour definitely helps with the manageability of dealing with said situations."

Billedeau said male servers don’t typically make as much in tips as women, so the increase will help balance that out.

Meanwhile, Art Sinclair VP of the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce said the increase will put a strain on small and medium business owners and financial support from both levels of government are needed.

"The business community across Ontario and across Canada has been quite vocal in trying to inform all levels of government on the desperate situation [business owners] are facing," Sinclair told CTV News. "Some type of a discretionary level of income from the federal and provincial levels of government that will allow employers to spend that money where it’s more appropriate. Businesses need money right now for cash flow."

Matt Rolleman, who owns Thirteen Food & Beverage in Cambridge, said while he supports higher wage for workers, it will make it more challenging for business. He said staffing and pricing adjustments may be needed to accommodate the increased wage.

"It is what it is now, we have to charge. There’s no discounting of items, people will have to pay what they are worth. And that means I can then pay my staff what they deserve and are required to be paid."

In a release the province said, the minimum wage increase is to help keep up with cost of living.

"For too long, workers have been falling behind and wages have not kept up with the cost of living, which is why we are raising the minimum wage to support those who have helped keep our economy moving throughout the pandemic," said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.

According to Ontario Living Wage, people in Waterloo Region need to make $17.20 per hour to afford basic needs.

"I’m getting by, but I’m getting by in the broke aspect," Billedeau said.