Manitoba's Minimum Wage Going to $8.50

MFL welcomes increase - but would like to see more.

On April 1, 2008, Manitoba's minimum wage will increase by 50 cents to $8.50 an hour, Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan announced on November 22. It continues the practice of the NDP government to increase the minimum wage rate on a regular basis. MFL President Darlene Dziewit welcomed the increase - but said it still falls short of what she would like to see.

"While 50 cents is a good increase," she says, "and while we commend the government for ensuring regular annual raises in the minimum wage, we think the minimum wage should be 60 per cent of the average wage in Manitoba. As of August 2007, the average wage in Manitoba was $17.69, so the minimum wage should be $10.61. While we recognize that $10.61 cannot be achieved in one jump, we think that the government should announce a series of increases over the next couple of years that would bring the minimum wage to the level we have recommended."

When the current government came to power in 1999 the provincial minimum wage was only $6 an hour. Since then, there were increments of 25 cents an hour every year between 1999 and 2005. In 2006 and 2007, there were increases of 35 cents and 40 cents respectively.

"This will mark the eighth time since 1999 that our government has increased the minimum wage, which fell behind the real cost of living as a result of a lack of increases during the 1990s," said Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan. "We are also making significant tax reductions for businesses and individuals in order to ensure that Manitoba remains an affordable place to live, work, raise a family and operate a business."

Allan noted that with the change taking effect April 1, the rate will have increased by 42 per cent since 1999. This increase in the minimum wage that will go into effect April 1 will maintain Manitoba's position near the middle of rates among Canadian jurisdictions.