TORONTO – Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca promises his party will raise the minimum wage to $ 16, work to determine regional living wages and compensate businesses for legislating 10 days sick leave. the June elections.
The promises were made in a campaign speech given to party members on Saturday, which was described as the first personal Liberal campaign event of the year. Del Duca said they were part of a plan for “financial dignity”.
“It’s time to give workers real protection for their livelihood,” he said in prepared remarks.
“Look, our economy has changed and new ways of working will not end. It is OK. “We can embrace innovation and create prosperity – but we have a responsibility to make it work better for more people.”
Initially, the Liberals will raise the minimum wage from $ 15 to $ 16 an hour by January 1, 2023, Del Duca said.
“Then (we) will work urgently with all our partners to create a dynamic, regionally adjusted living wage, ending what has been, for too long, an endless struggle down the line for employees and families. them, “he said.
A regionally adjusted living wage could reach $ 22 an hour in Toronto, advocates say.
The NDP has promised a minimum wage of $ 16 since October. 1, rising to $ 20 an hour in 2026.
Less than a year before the previous Liberal government lost the 2018 election, it underwent sweeping labor reforms, many of which the Progressive Conservative government reversed. It included a minimum wage of $ 15 – the Doug Ford government set the minimum wage at that amount this year – as well as an extended personal emergency leave and equal pay for equal work.
Del Duca also promises to restore equal pay, so that part-time, part-time and part-time workers are paid the same as full-time workers.
The Liberals’ 2017 bill provided employees with two paid personal emergency days, but now they promise 10 paid sick days. Del Duka said on Saturday that a liberal government would compensate businesses for up to $ 200 a day for the program.
He also said that the Liberals will eliminate corporate taxes for two years for small businesses that have been “deeply hurt by the pandemic”. They will also end integration fees for starting new businesses and help small businesses move to a portable benefits package, Del Duca said.
The Liberal leader also promised to create a package of “high quality, affordable” benefits available to everyone, including concert workers and the self-employed.
“These benefits will be portable, they will belong to the employee for his entire career, regardless of his employment status, giving this employee a safety net on which they can rely,” said Del Duca.
A liberal government will also classify concert workers as employees, he said.
The Progressive Conservative Government has recently introduced legislation that would set employment standards for concert workers, including the minimum wage and regular pay days, but does not consider their employment status.
This Canadian Press report was first published on March 26, 2022.
