Local advocates say Ontario's minimum wage hike falls short for struggling families

Local advocates say the province's minimum wage hike doesn't go far enough to help Ontarians struggling to afford rising food and housing costs.

On Tuesday, the province increased the general minimum wage to $17.20 an hour, up from $16.55, with the student minimum wage jumping from $15.16 to $16.20.

"Does that move someone from moving from a place of comfort? It doesn't mean these folks are still in survival mode, and they are just trying to make it to day-to-day," said Brian Shelley, chief executive and philanthropy officer with the United Way Muskoka.

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In Simcoe County, the United Way says 18 per cent of households are low-income while one in three are struggling to put food on the table.

"I think we need to be advocating for better wages for employees. In a perfect scenario, folks aren't reliant on food banks. Food banks are meant to be a temporary measure. They weren't meant to be the solution. We need people to be making a wage where they can cover their costs and feed their family," said Shelley.

Jennifer van Gennip, director of communications and advocacy at Redwood Park Communities in Simcoe County, said the increase isn't nearly enough for many families her organization supports.

"No, it does not help anybody. It's $26 a week, and we, all of us, know that even just in our regular living expenses, we have seen more than a $26 a week increase in our gas and food," said Gennip.

For business owners, the wage increase can pose a challenge.

Don Thordarson owns the Iron Skillet in Barrie and said that while he supports paying employees more, it's not as simple as it sounds.

"So I understand a wage increase, business and necessity, with the price of everything going up. But as a small business owner, it hurts our bottom line. Yes. The increase of food, the increase of utilities. It kind of hurts," said Thordarson.

Tuesday's minimum wage increase means Ontario will now have the second-highest provincial minimum wage in the country, behind British Columbia.