Saskatchewan restaurants surprised by province’s minimum wage hike

The government of Saskatchewan announced on May 3 that the province will raise its minimum wage by one dollar every October from now until 2024. While some organizations have praised the move, Restaurants Canada argues on behalf of Saskatchewan restaurants that it may do more harm than good in the short term. Saskatchewan currently has […]

Minimum wage hike presents opportunity for restaurants

By David Hopkins Ontario’s minimum wage is going up again on January 1, 2022. And this time, unlike in the past, the minimum wage for servers will also rise significantly. It is set to increase almost 20 per cent, from $12.55 to $15 per hour. This comes at a time when most restaurants are trying […]

Ontario’s minimum wage overhaul sparks industry warnings

Ontario’s announcement that it will be raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour from January 1, 2022, and eliminating the liquor servers’ wage has sparked disbelief, frustration, and warning from the foodservice and hospitality industries. As part of its 2021 Fall Economic Statement, the provincial government announced on November 2 that it will introduce […]

How higher pay positively impacts customer service

With a labour shortage sweeping North American foodservice, the pay that restaurant workers receive, particularly the wages of hourly employees, is under review. New research suggests, rather unsurprisingly, that higher pay positively impacts customer service. Researchers at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business compared restaurant reviews where the minimum wage has increased versus those […]

Crunching Numbers: Minimum wage by province

From the spring 2018 issue of Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News By Jeff Dover Restaurateurs are dealing with increases in many of their expenses, like food and rent, but with significant minimum wage increases in several provinces, labour cost has caused considerable concern given the tight margins in Canada’s restaurant industry. The table below shows current […]

Minimum wage increase anticipated to have negative effect on restaurant industry

Press release On May 30, the Wynne government announced a monumental change to the wage structure in Ontario. Effective January 1, 2018, minimum wage will be increasing from $11.40/hour to $14/hour, a 22.8 per cent increase. Then on January 1, 2019, the minimum wage will rise again to $15/hour – a 31.6 per cent increase compared to current rates. This increase […]