March 15, 2018 by admin

Liberals say minimum wage hike helps people more than income tax cut

TORONTO — Ontario’s governing Liberals say the minimum wage increase they brought in will help low-income workers more than an income tax cut proposed by the new Progressive Conservative leader.

Labour Minister Kevin Flynn took aim at Doug Ford’s plan in a news conference this morning, saying the newly chosen Tory leader and his party “just don’t care about workers.”

Ford has said that if the Tories form government after the spring election, he would freeze the minimum wage at $14 rather than bumping it to $15 next year as the Liberals plan.

The former Toronto city councillor has told media outlets he instead wants to eliminate income tax for those making less than $30,000.

But Flynn says the majority of those who earn less than $30,000 already don’t pay income tax, and the rest pay less than $500 a year.

The minister says the minimum wage hike would give people significantly more money — close to $2,000 a year for full-time workers — than the tax cut would save them.

Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.