Minimum wage in Ontario will raise to $15/hour in 2019

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Premier Kathleen Wynne promised workers today that by 2019, Ontario will be only the second province in Canada to raise that rate to $15. While that increase will definitely benefit those struggling to get by, in an age of technology, there may soon be limited positions available.

Currently about 1.4-million Ontarians make minimum wage. That’s $11.40 an hour. 2.8-million make less than $15 an hour. Many are students, who say they’d reinvest in themselves with the extra cash, bbut they’d have to find someone to hire them first.

For some local businesses, that nearly 30% jump in pay would be tough to afford.

Those fighting for higher minimum wages say the bump in pay would translate into better business. And according to Ontario’s labour minister, when people make more, they’ll spend more.

“This is money that goes to bread, diapers, bus fare, this is money that gets reinvested in the community.” said Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn.

While the adjustment could be hard for smaller businesses, larger companies should be able to shoulder the increase or they could go in a different direction.

Back in the day, a team used to fill your car up with gas, but that got too expensive and now you do it yourself. And Nick Bontis says that more companies may go in this direction, some already have.

“Look at the autosector where we had lots and lots of auto jobs for labourers but they also became automated things will happen in the service sector for restaurants, grocery stores, fast food places.”

Federal officials have warned Ottawa that Canada could lose 1.5 to 7.5 million jobs in near future due to automation.

The wage raise won’t be enjoyed by everyone. According to the Ontario website, students under 18 who work 28 hours or less and liquor servers will only see their wages increase to $14.10 by 2019.