The 2017 Biz X Awards

Cover Story

Photo credit: © Can Stock Photo/RedDaxLuma COVER STORY The Proposed Minimum Wage Increase . . Too Much, Too Fast? By Dave Hall Business owners, labour leaders and economists remain divided over the impact proposed changes to provincial labour legislation, including an increase in the minimum wage, will have on businesses across the region. While the changes in Bill 148 Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 also include language changes relating to vacation time, scheduling and paid emergency leave, much of the focus has been on an increase in the minimum wage in Ontario, which will increase from $11.40 an hour currently to $14 an hour by 2018 and to $15 an hour by 2019. Many business owners believe the increase will force them to cut staff hours or even lay off workers to maintain their bottom line in a competitive economy where they already pay high electricity prices and face cross-border competition. A study commissioned by the Keep Ontario Working Coalition, which supports businesses across the province, concludes that as many as 185,000 jobs will be in jeopardy as a result of the changes. But, labour leaders and many economists believe that putting more money into consumers’ hands will help stimulate the economy because most people earning minimum wage spend that money on such staples as clothing and food, they don’t invest it offshore or buy expensive vehicles. Matt Marchand, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce (located at 2575 Ouellette Place; WindsorChamber.org), says his organization is not opposed to an increase in the provincial minimum wage, but suggests it be phased in over a longer period of time. “Small businesses are the most vulnerable because they don’t have the scale or size to deal with these added costs,” Marchand comments. “It’s not just about the people earning that minimum wage because there will also be people earning that amount now who will want a bump up.” Marchand continues by stating, “If we’re going to increase the minimum wage, there have to be cost offsets to help businesses remain competitive. Hydro price increases, for example, are already eating away at the bottom line. And this adds yet another pressure.” He stresses, “We don’t have to be the lowest cost jurisdiction but we need to be competitive.” Marchand says his organization favours a five year phase-in period to allow businesses to make adjustments in their business model and cost structure, which would enable them to survive in an already competitive marketplace. Van Niforos, long-time Owner of the successful Penalty Box Restaurant at 2151 Walker Road in Windsor (PenaltyBoxRestaurant.com), informs Biz X he will have to make major adjustments in his operations, in a hurry, since the first step-up in the new wage scheme takes effect in four months. “We have 65 employees and the vast majority will expect a bump up of some kind or another,” says Niforos. “I think a longer phase-in period to give small businesses a better chance to adjust would make more sense.” He adds: “The businesses which make the right adjustments will survive and the rest will struggle. I also expect that essential goods and services will increase in price so the net effect of an increase in the minimum wage will not have the impact most people think it will have.” But, more than 50 economists across Canada penned an open letter to Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne stating that “doom and gloom predictions” about the impact an increase in the minimum wage will have are unfounded. According to the economists, the move makes good economic sense and could generate substantial benefits to low-wage earners and the economy as a whole. In addition, a study by the National Employment Law Project, a U.S.-based organization, found no correlation between a higher minimum wage and lower employment in jurisdictions such as Seattle, Alberta and San Francisco, where minimum wages were recently raised. The group’s analysis further showed that in almost 70 percent of cases, employment actually rose following a federal wage increase. Other studies have shown that a higher minimum wage results in less employee turnover, which increases business productivity and efficiencies. Dr. Alfie Morgan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business (Odette.UWindsor.ca), believes small businesses will have a difficult time adjusting to all of the Bill’s changes when taken as a package. “These extra benefits will be very difficult to afford by small business owners, many of whom are barely making minimum wage themselves,” says Morgan. “Putting more money into the economy is never a bad thing but expecting small businesses bear the brunt of it is unfair and unrealistic.” The new legislation will still leave liquor servers, who many believe make up the difference with tips, and students, earning less than their minimum wage counterparts. Students currently earn $10.70 per hour under current minimum wage legislation and that would increase to $13.15 by January 1, 2018 and to $14.10 a year later. By comparison, liquor servers currently earn $9.90 and would see an increase to $12.20 in 2018 and to $13.05 a year later. During a recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, Tracie Edwards, Vice-President of District 9 of the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation, said “we shouldn’t be exploiting workers based on their age or the type of work they perform.” “It’s long overdue and it will benefit the economy according to many economists,” remarks Edwards. But, Executive Chef Daniele Palanca of Ambassador Golf Club at 1025 Sprucewood Avenue in Windsor (AmbassadorGolfClub.com) believes the food and beverage industry will absorb the largest hit from these wage increases. “If hours and staffing have to be adjusted as well as price increases; then servers will be covering more tables at higher priced menu items and clients may well become upset and dine out less frequently,” warns Palanca. “We’ve already absorbed two wage increases over the past two years, we have another coming in October and then a larger one in January.” He explains that “At Ambassador, we will notice the impact more throughout 2018 because we have already quoted prices for banquets at 2017 pricing and I am sure there will be price increases for all our fresh commodities once the wage increases are passed on by suppliers.” Palanca mentions that small businesses may place their top three or four employees on salary rather than on an hourly wage in order to achieve some measure of labour cost certainty.

The Proposed Minimum Wage Increase

Photo credit: © Can Stock Photo/RedDaxLuma The Proposed Minimum Wage Increase . .Too Much, Too Fast? Business owners, labour leaders …

News Just In!

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Windsor Flood – Disaster Recovery Assistance Sessions

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Ontario Join Forces to Fight Climate Change

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre

Biz X Was There - 8th Annual Shar's Ride for MS

Biz X Was There – 9th Annual Shar’s Ride for MS

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Windsor Flood Update September 19

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Non-Resident Speculation Tax Helping

Biz X Was There

Biz X Was There - 8th Annual Shar's Ride for MS

Biz X Was There – 9th Annual Shar’s Ride for MS

Tecumseh Corn Fest Parade 2017

Biz X Was There – Tecumseh Corn Fest Parade 2017

Windsor Comicon 2017

Biz X Was There – Windsor Comicon 2017

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X-Pert Advice

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Home Renovation Tips for Ontario Consumers

Arts

Biz X magazine, Ontario Curbing Abuse of Unlawful Evictions, Sewer Systems, Windsor Flood Update September 5 2017, Windsor Flood Update Sept 6 2017, VISTAPRINT HIRING EVENT, 2nd Annual Nerd Olympics Kicks Off, Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost, Windsor Flood Update September 7, Windsor Flood Declared Disaster, Windsor City Councillor Public Ward Meetings, LCBO to Oversee Cannabis Retail Stores, Ontario Adds 31 100 Jobs in August, Windsor Secures Second Flood Collection Site, Additional Lakeshore Flood Debris Pickup, Windsor Flood Update September 11 2017, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Upgrades to Cause Closures, Ontario Supporting Economic Growth in Wheatley, Windsor Flood Update September 19, Tougher Penalties for Drug Impaired Driving, Windsor Introduces New Emergency Operations Centre, Québec, Ontario and California Join Forces to Fight Climate Change, Disaster Recovery Assistance

Ontario Arts and Culture Sector Gets Boost

Biz X magazine September 2017 Vol 20 Issue 8

September 2017 Issue

ON THE COVER — “On The Chopping Block . . .” — 18
Proposed changes to provincial labour law legislation, including a hike in the minimum wage, could cost the Ontario economy as many as 185,000 jobs! This is according to a study commissioned by the Keep Ontario Working coalition, which supports small businesses. But, labour leaders and many economists say that increasing the minimum wage for low-income earners would inject more money into the economy and help small businesses. Find out what area biz pros, such as Executive Chef Daniele Palanca (pictured on front cover) from Ambassador Golf Club have to say on this controversial matter. Photo by Rodney L Denis Photography.

Deborah Jones Publisher's Note

Get Your Nominations In The 20th Annual 2017 Biz X Awards

20th Annual 2017 Biz X Awards Get Your Nominations In

Feature Story

Windsor ComiCon Epic Weekend

Windsor ComiCon Epic Weekend!

City

Editorial ViewpointCup of JoeOn The Mayor's MindHeard on the StreetNewsflash
Windsor Launches Investment Support Program

Windsor Launches Investment Support Program

CarTunes Started Parade To Arts Self-Sufficiency

CarTunes Started Parade To Arts Self-Sufficiency

In The Market For Great Food, Drinks, Music & Friends?

In The Market For Great Food, Drinks, Music & Friends?

Heard on the Street, Walker Power Building, Olde Walkerville, Heard on the Street October, Ninth Consecutive Tax Freeze in 2017, Heard on the Street March 2017, Heard on the Street April 2017, Heard on the Street May 2017, Heard on the Street June 2017, Heard on the Street July August 2017, Heard on the Street September 2017

Heard on the Street September 2017

Newsflash January 2017, Newsflash February 2017, NEWSFLASH MARCH 2017, NEWSFLASH APRIL 2017, NEWSFLASH MAY 2017 - Milestone Photography Studio, Windsor Circus School, NEWSFLASH June 2017, NEWSFLASH SEPTEMBER 2017

NEWSFLASH SEPTEMBER 2017

Critter Corner

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Biz Blog

In The Market For Great Food, Drinks, Music & Friends?

In The Market For Great Food, Drinks, Music & Friends?

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Youth Matters – School Stress Relievers

Youth Matters with Chelsea Girard. Peer pressure, social media,Prom, National Youth Week, pride flag,Community, Windsor-Essex Pride Fest, Won't Tell A Soul, Unsung Heroes, Your Guide to Journalism 101, Photojournalism - Capturing Life at it’s Rarest Form, Raw and Intricate, You’re Never Too Young for a Bucket List, Remembrance Day in Windsor-Essex, Eating Disorders, "It got better, but it never ended", Love is Love, "None of you cared, and neither did I." - 13 Reasons Why, Shakespeare Stripped from HS Curriculum, and I Agree, The Homeless Community Has Nothing to be Ashamed Of, Travelling on a Budget, Summer Ending that Everyone Dreads...School, Youth Matters - School Stress Relievers

Summer Ending that Everyone Dreads…School

Jason Kerluck, I'll Take Little Sales All Day Long, Being Store Manager - Like Being Captain of a Ship, Lack of Capacity & Capability

Understanding Capacity & Capability

Have A Cup - Busker Fun & Celebrating Pride In August

Cup of Joe – Busker Fun & Celebrating Pride In August

Interested in contributing to the Biz Blog? Contact us with your blog idea today!

Windsor Essex Events

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WEA Celebrates the Baker Foundation

September 27 @ 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Thu 28

Bourbon St Brasserie

September 28 @ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri 29

Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure Flag Raising

September 29 @ 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Fri 29

Windsor Music Archive presents REUNIONS

September 29 @ 7:00 pm
Sat 30

J.P. Wiser’s A Photographic History

September 30
Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure Flag Raising
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