Social Policy in Ontario

Re: Hike minimum wage, Sept. 28

Nearly two million people living in poverty in Ontario will suffer if the Doug Ford government follows through with plans to slam the brakes on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour in January.

A higher minimum wage enables more Ontarians to maintain their health rather than fall prey to illnesses such as malnutrition, diabetes and heart disease, which impose far greater costs in the long run.

While the benefits of higher wages are grounded in research evidence, the claims of this government are not. Studies show that when governments raise the minimum wage, those who need help the most have more money to spend and that extra spending creates jobs — more than replacing those that might be lost.

For 13 of the past 25 years, Ontario failed to increase the minimum wage. That lack of support made families fall farther behind as stagnant wages lagged behind the growing cost of living for basics such as food and shelter.