Wage hike will bring province down

Re Minimum-wage hike enshrined in law, June 23 The statements made by Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government on the need to make living in Ontario affordable by raising minimum wage seem to me absurd, and like so much of the marketing emitted from this government, short-sighted and self-interested.

My primary concern is toward skilled and professional workers who already earn more than $15 per hour and have expended serious effort to make those gains in both skill and compensation. Their wage will be, without-a-doubt, devalued by the forthcoming cost-of-living leaps which will be borne by them to support the increase to unskilled minimum-wage workers. Increases to minimum wage will be felt across the economy as the businesses pass on the costs to keep their own heads above water. Small local businesses will likely fold, leaving only room for larger chains who can cope better with the rising costs. This further devalues our society as we lose the local flavour, specialization and support in lieu of one-size-fits-all giants such as Walmart.

Those skilled workers and professionals earning more income will not have their wages adjusted relative to the new minimum standard. Their employers too will have to cope with the rising costs of doing business driven by the increase to minimum wage which will soon reverberate throughout the province’s economy.

Minimum-wage jobs are not generally considered career jobs, but an entry level into the workforce. If workers are compensated unrealistically for unskilled jobs, where is the incentive to improve and advance? This move seems to be hobbling the workforce of the province instead of advancing it.

This ham-handed attempt to win votes from outside the Liberals’ traditional circles will be costly for us all, and in the end will not benefit anyone — even those whose wage it actually does increase.

Hold onto your wallets, kids, this is going to get expensive! Tom Whent, Sault Ste Marie