Minimum wage increase a good start, but still a ‘long ways to catch up:’ SFL president

It’s a good start, but there’s still a long way to go.

Saskatchewan Federation of Labour president Lori Johb said while it’s a “welcome relief” the minimum wage increase in the province is “dollars, not pennies,” it’s still far below what a living wage would be, especially in Saskatoon and Regina.

“In Saskatoon and Regina, (they) are more than $16 an hour and closer to $18 an hour so while it’s a start and I think it’s going to help people that work and earn minimum wage, we’ve got a long ways to go,” she said.

Saskatchewan currently has the lowest minimum wage in Canada. On Tuesday, the province announced the minimum wage would be going up on Oct. 1 from $11.81 per hour to $13 per hour.

In October of 2023, it will go up to $14 per hour, and by 2024 it will be $15 per hour.

“I was speaking with a young woman … that works two jobs. Both of them are minimum wage and she’s not hardly making ends meet. And you hear that story over and over again. You know people working full time (who are) stopping at the food bank on their way home,” said Johb.

She added it would have been nice to see the minimum wage go up to $13 per hour right away as opposed to waiting five months because the cost of living is “so out of reach” right now that “minimum wage is just not going to cut it.”

That said, a pay boost in October will be welcomed by many.

“I think it’s going to be a relief,” she continued. “By the time we get there in October, I think that they’re going to see a noticeable difference on their paychecks … That’s going to help a lot. Hopefully by then things will level out in terms of the cost of living.”

In two years, however, Johb believes Saskatchewan should be closer to $20 per hour.

“We’re so far behind that it’s going to take us a long ways to catch up,” she said.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick