CRFA applauds Government of Ontario on minimum wage decision
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2011
TORONTO – Today’s decision to freeze the minimum wage at $10.25/hour is welcome news for Ontario’s restaurant owners and will provide much-needed certainty and stability after seven years of significant wage increases.
“The restaurant industry is a fundamental building block of local economies and a vital source of employment for thousands of Ontarians,” says Ron Reaman, Vice President Ontario with the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). “We’re very pleased the McGuinty government has responded to our concerns and taken action to create a more stable business environment for our members.”
Labour costs constitute more than one third of operating costs for the average restaurant – second only to food and beverage costs. More than 400,000 people are directly employed by Ontario’s restaurant and foodservice industry.
“Steep and successive wage increases have made it difficult for restaurants to keep their doors open, let alone expand and invest. This announcement sets the stage for our members to move forward with strategies to invest in Ontario and create more jobs,” says Reaman.
A recent survey by Ipsos found that the restaurant industry is the number one source of first jobs, with 22% of Canadians getting a start in this industry. In addition, one third of Canadians have worked in the industry at some point in their lives.
CRFA is one of Canada's largest business associations, with more than 30,000 members representing restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and other foodservice providers. Ontario’s $23-billion restaurant industry directly employs more than 400,000 people in communities across the province.
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