After many obstacles & challenges during the pandemic COVID-19, there is something positive for the Canadian people and the economy. It is a sudden rise in the minimum wages in British Columbia. This happens as Canada is facing immense difficulties and challenges especially while running small and medium-sized businesses. Minimum wages are just yet another assurance for the people. Especially, the ones working on an hourly basis and zero-hours contracts. Mainly, so that they are able to survive in challenging conditions that are being faced during the pandemic.
These are people from the services industry in Canada. Workers, who are employed on weekly contracts and are dependent on work for their daily survival. Paying the bills, home rentals, and taxes can never be easy. However, while workers are getting their salaries with decent rises in minimum wages, the situation looks far better. Province of British Columbia is an example of the rise in the minimum wages. Hence, as the majority of migrants coming to Canada and they start working on hourly wages. A huge majority are also coming every year to the glowing province B.C.
As part of the ways of compensation & continuing smooth operations during the pandemic COVID-19. This is according to the provincial Govt.’s promises of increasing the minimum wages. The previous stats clearly show that there has been no rise in minimum wages from 2001 -2011.
RISE IN MINIMUM WAGES:
A significant rise of a huge 75% in the province of British Columbia is a true example of the pledge by the Canadian Govt. This related to an increase in the minimum wages soon. The minimum wages are now $14.60 per hour starting from Monday. This is a piece of huge news for the Canadian working class. Hence, it can be taken as an example for the other provinces of Canada that a pay rise is the hour of the need. However, some of them have already done the rise in these challenging and critical times in COVID-19.
As according to Brains, the pandemic plan of the British Columbia’s Govt. is worth $5 billion. It also includes tax breaks and tax deferrals for the businesses. In addition to this, also includes a significant $1.5 billion economic recovery fund. Hence, this fund is an essential part of British Columbia’s latest announcements regards to the fight against the pandemic. It is primarily not only to encounter the pandemic and its ongoing challenges. However, it is also vital that the Govt. should forgo the minimum wage increase. This is a necessity to allow market forces for the determination of rates of pay.
AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE:
A huge prospective opportunity is the pressure of the pandemic that can be an influence on many radical changes. One of them being a review of the minimum wages in the form of steps taken by the British Columbia province. The economic initiatives should be necessarily reviewed as it has been important for the sake of economic sustenance since Feb/March. This was the period when the epidemic started to spread initially in Canada and the various provinces. According to Pavlov an Economist and an academic, the minimum wage increases should happen automatically through economic growth. However, in this scenario, it’s otherwise, the increase is due to a lack of economic stability.
The statistics in Canada has revealed that many people lost their jobs during the pandemic COVID-19 and during the lockdown phase. The rate of unemployment in British Columbia increased to 11.5%. Hence, it’s a huge 400,000 jobs cut since the month of March.
Further statistics from the Labor Ministry have shown that 60% of people earning minimum wages in Canada are women and 93% of them belong to the services industry. These include cleaning services, grocery stores, and restaurants. Highlights the importance of the services industry during the current pandemic. Furthermore, how far it is important to cope up with the pressure of the pandemic. It also is evident that how both genders in British Columbia alone are fighting the pandemic. The ongoing struggle that Canadians are combatting every day. A significant rise means rapidly making measures as many people will be hired soon for jobs in the services industry. An expected rise in the rate of employment is a fair advantage for the citizens of British Columbia.
MINIMUM WAGES INCREASE IN OTHER PROVINCES:
The minimum wage increase in Quebec happened on May 1st. However, with the rest of the provinces i.e. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Yukon, the wage increase happened on 1st April. Interestingly, all these provinces realized this importance during the challenges of the pandemic as the economic instability reached higher levels.