There is a lot of opinion on the three-tiered increase in the province’s minimum wage.
Seemingly frozen forever at $8 an hour, it will rise 75¢ this May, another 75¢ in November and finally another 75¢ next May for the majority.
Some members of the B.C. NDP say that it is good to see that their Liberal counterparts are finally raising minimum wage but are critical that it won’t match the cost of living.
The B.C. Federation of Labour says the increase is “welcome” but is not happy about the fact that alcohol servers will see a lower minimum wage to account for tips – they will see minimum wage increased to $8.50 in May and subsequent increases of 25¢ during November and May 2012.
There are some people, including some in Grand Forks, that say that it is too much in too short a time frame.
Regardless, the minimum wage increase is good for British Columbians and necessary for survival of low-income wage earners and those on fixed incomes.
The price of everything seems to be going up these days and people need to be able to keep pace.
The price of gas in Grand Forks was about $1.14 a litre a month ago and this past weekend it was at $1.249.
The city recently passed two bylaws that increased the user fees for water and sewer rates by four per cent and Fortis BC increased electrical utility rates by 6.6 per cent in January and could increase rates again by 6 per cent come April.
The increased price of fuel will lead to increased food prices because transporting goods will cost more.
Also, according to numbers from Statistics Canada, there is a huge discrepancy between the minimum wage ($8 currently) and the average hourly wage ($23.16 an hour as of Feb. 2011) and the increases will narrow the gap somewhat.
Eighty per cent of respondents to a recent Grand Forks Gazette online poll said that the city is becoming too expensive of a place to live, given utility and fuel price increases.
The cost of everything it seems is going up, so why not minimum wage as well?
People need more money to keep pace.
– The Grand Forks Gazette