County council considers stance on $15 minimum wage

Peterborough County council may soon be asking the provincial government to halt its plan to hike Ontario’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Coun. Sherry Senis, the deputy mayor of Selwyn Township, introduced a motion to county council at a meeting on Wednesday.

It asks the province to do an economic analysis showing the consequences of a minimum wage increase for businesses, before implementing a pay hike for workers.

So far the province only has data showing the positive impact for minimum-wage workers, the motion states.

Yet the wage increase could have “unintentional consequences”, states the motion – such as job losses and increased consumer costs.

The motion wasn’t debated on Wednesday before county council, nor was there a vote. That’s expected at county council’s next meeting, June 28.

Selwyn Township council adopted an almost identical motion Tuesday night. The vote at township council was 4-1; Mayor Mary Smith was the lone opponent of the motion.

Senis said Wednesday she introduced the motion before county council because business owners from across Peterborough County could be affected by a minimum wage hike.

“The economic development of the region is under the umbrella of county council,” she said. “So this should, I think, come to the county council table for us to advocate on (business owners’) behalf.”

Joe Taylor, the warden for the county, said he thinks it’s important for the province to collect more information before making a decision about a wage hike.

He says he has no illusion about county council’s power to get the attention of the provincial government.

“At the end of the day – let’s not kid ourselves – it’s the provincial government’s decision,” he said.

Still, he says more information is needed.

“This is a pretty substantial increase – more than 30 per cent,” he said. “Before we jump in, let’s know what it’s going to do to all business.”

On Tuesday, Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal said the change in legislation isn’t expected to happen overnight - there is still consultation with the public to be completed.

Leal, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and also the Minister Responsible for Small Business, said the provincial government will pay attention to what these small-business owners are saying.

On the other hand, Leal noted that groups such as the Peterborough and District Labour Council are happy with the proposed hike to minimum wage.