Kitchener-Waterloo·Audio

Province's minimum wage consultations come to Waterloo region

Many business owners are concerned about what a minimum wage hike could mean for them financially

Residents and local businesses give their thoughts on proposed minimum wage hike

A $10 bill and $5 bill are shown
The provincial government is asking Kitchener-Waterloo residents to weigh in on proposed minimum wage. (Karin Larsen/CBC)

Today, residents of the Kitchener-Waterloo community will have an official voice in the minimum wage debate.

The province's Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs is in the region, to hear from residents and business owners about their proposal to raise minimum wage to to $15 an hour by 2019.

So far, the new "Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act" has been met with both support and concern over what this means for small business owners. 

The Morning Edition's Craig Norris spoke to Plamen Petkov, Ontario Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business about some of those concerns, as well as Kitchener Center MPP Daiene Vernille who will be at the meeting.

The consultations will continue across the province over the rest of the month.