What Manitoba's minimum wage will be increasing to this fall
Manitoba's minimum wage is going up this fall.
On Thursday, the province announced minimum wage would be increasing from $11.95 per hour to $13.50 as of October of this year.
This increase will leave Manitoba with the second-lowest minimum wage in the country, according to the Retail Council of Canada – followed by Saskatchewan's expected increase to $13 per hour.
Nunavut currently has the highest minimum wage, which is set at $16 an hour, followed by Yukon ($15.70) and B.C. ($15.65).
The province said another increase of 65 cents is expected in Manitoba on April 1, 2023, bringing the minimum wage to $14.15 per hour.
The province said with the expected consumer price index increase for 2022, the next indexed adjustment will then bring Manitoba's minimum wage to 'around' $15 an hour for Oct. 1, 2023.
"We intend to get to the $15 range. We don't know what inflation is going to be for the next year," said Reg Helwer, Manitoba's minister of labour, consumer protection and government services.
Following this increase, the province said it will return to the indexed process.
WAGE INCREASE WILL FALL SHORT OF WHAT FAMILIES NEED, MFL PRESIDENT SAYS
This increase, however, is far below what Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) President Kevin Rebeck said his organization was advocating for – a minimum wage of $16.15.
"The planned minimum wage of $13.50 this year will fall well short of what working families need to make ends meet," he said in a statement. "All working families are concerned about the crushing increases in the cost of living with the price jump at the gas pumps and the grocery stores hitting low-wage workers particularly hard."
Rebeck accused the province of siding with employers.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said additional increases to the minimum wage could, "create pressure on small businesses and their operations."
"We believe the correction we are announcing today in the minimum wage is a move in the right direction," Stefanson said.
"Labour is always going to be on one side, management is going to be on the other. We believe that this is a fair and balanced approach to getting to where we think is a competitive place across the country."
Cliff Cullen, Manitoba's Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade, said the province will be consulting with the industry about potential support programs for businesses that need help adjusting to higher payrolls.
"We recognize this wage increase may create challenges and we want to avoid unintended consequences that might result in higher prices," Cullen said.
Correction
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated Nova Scotia's minimum wage would be $13.35 as of Oct. 1, 2022. However it will actually be increasing to $13.60, leaving Manitoba with the second lowest minimum wage at that time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.