Businesses to get heads up before future wage increases: Sonny Gallant

Sonny Gallant, Liberal MLA and Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning,says in the future, government will give businesses more notice before the minimum wage increases.

The minimum wage on P.E.I. went up 25 cents on April 1, to $11.25 per hour. It also rose twice by25 cent incrementsin 2016 rising from $10.50 to $11.

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The latest increase was announced in February, something Gallant says caught some businesses off-guard.

"Well the biggest surprise I'd heard from businesses was that there was three increases in a little better than a year and that they just weren't sure how much this one was going to be," he said.

"They knew it was going to come on April 1 but they just didn't know the amount."

Gallant says the employment standards board comes up with a recommendation for minimum wage after talking to business owners and members of the public.

Hesays that business will get more warning next time.

"We'll work in the future to give them some lead time so they know."

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