The provincial government announced Thursday minimum wage will go up by 30 cents on Oct. 1.
In a release, Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pederson said the minimum wage will go up from $11.35 to $11.65.
“We are providing predictable and sustainable increases to Manitoba’s minimum wage, which achieves the right balance benefitting both employees and employers,” Pedersen said in the release. “Based on Manitoba’s Consumer Price Index for 2018, the minimum wage increase will help our economy continue to attract new investment and participation in the workforce.”
When the changes take effect, Manitoba’s minimum wage will lag behind B.C., Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, and Quebec, but top the Maritime provinces, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.
The adjustment is based on Manitoba’s 2018 inflation rate of 2.5 per cent and rounding up to the nearest five cents.
In a statement, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour Kevin Rebeck said the Pallister government is forcing thousands of people to work full-time and live in poverty by keeping the minimum wage at this rate.
“Contrary to the myths, most minimum wage workers are adults, and the majority are women,” said the statement.
“Thousands of families are forced to make tough choices between paying the rent and buying groceries because our minimum wage isn’t enough to allow people to make ends meet, even with a full-time job.”
