P.E.I. minimum wage moving to $16 next year
The P.E.I. government has announced two more increases to the minimum wage for the coming year.
In a news release Wednesday morning, the province announced the wage would increase from $15 to $15.40 on April 1, and then to $16 on Oct. 1, following a recommendation from the Employment Standards Board.
The wage moved to $15 on Sunday.
Neither poverty advocates or business interest groups are happy with recent movements in the minimum wage.
Poverty advocates say the wage is far from what is required to make a living in the province.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives pegged a living wage for someone in Charlottetown at $19.30 per hour in 2020.
Meanwhile, the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce says businesses are already struggling with high interest rates, inflation and the aftermath of both post-tropical storm Fiona and the COVID-19 pandemic, and increases in wages are happening too quickly for them to keep up.
