“Living in Toronto on a salary of $15 is poverty, it’s misery”

Originally from Haiti, Venise Labossière-Féquière moved to Toronto five years ago with her daughter. And her early years were anything but easy… Even though she found a job in a daycare, she struggled to pay her bills.

It was extremely difficult. I am a single mom and had to rely on my income alone. I was not entitled to certain government benefits. The rent is extremely expensive, you have to pay for the transport tooshe says.

Venise Labossière-Féquière, who was earning between $14 and $15 an hour at the time, described her first salaries as miserable.

” It was really difficult with a very miserable salary. I had to meet our needs. It was a nightmare. »

For two years, the Torontonian has now been employed by a community centre. She earns a better salary, around $25 an hour.

From $14 to $25 is a big difference and it changed a lot of thingsshe says.

Today, a few weeks before the election, the mother of the family wishes to speak, because she believes that several other Ontarians, paid minimum wage, could benefit from an increase in their income. She wants the next government to take note of the situation.

In the community, it is a stress for us. When you see people being paid $15 an hour and having to pay their rent… It’s really difficult. […] Living in Toronto on a $15 salary is poverty, it’s miseryshe says.

Workers in crisis

Stories like that of Venise Labossière-Féquière, the director of the organization Workers’ Action CenterDeena Ladd, hears several.

In 2019, 11% of workers earned minimum wage, up from 2.4% of workers in 1997, according to a report by the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives released this year.

And, with inflation and high housing costs, the needs are greater than ever according to the organizer.

Poverty is increasing. More and more workers are calling us in crisis. They need help to feed themselves or to find basic goodssays Deena Ladd, who says the pandemic has disproportionately hit racialized and migrant workers, as well as workers who have low wages.

In the last week, his organization therefore took advantage of the electoral context to publish a report containing several demands, including an increase in the minimum wage to $20 an hour, so that workers can pay their rent or even their food and support their families.

A living wage at $22 an hour

The idea appeals to other organizations, including theOntario Living Wage Network (OLWNOntario Living Wage NetworkOntario Living Wage Network), which calculates each year the living wage, the minimum income necessary to live decently in Ontario.

In the fall of 2021, it was between $16.20 and $22.08 per hour depending on the region, i.e. higher amounts than the general minimum wage, which is set at $15 per hour in the province.

Right now, to make ends meet and live in Toronto, to be able to pay all your bills and not have to make tough choices between paying rent and paying food, the person’s hourly wage needs to be 22, $08says Craig Pickthorne, a spokesman for theOLWNOntario Living Wage Networkwhich supports the claims of Workers’ Action Center.

And even though she is now paid $25 an hour, Venise Labossière-Féquière admits that life is not always easy.

Before it was very difficult, now it is difficult.[…] The things we used to buy for $200, we now pay $300. The cost of fuel is risingshe laments.

” We have no savings. It’s like living from day to day, payday to payday. »

The positions of political parties

But where are the political parties on this issue?

Last April, the Progressive Conservative government announced a third increase in the minimum wage in a year.

Ontario is working for workers by raising the general minimum wage to $15.50 per hour starting October 1, 2022. This 8% year-over-year increase will help workers cope with rising prices and inflationhe announced in a press release.

We don’t stop there. We will ensure annual increases follow the Ontario Consumer Price Indexadded the press secretary to Prime Minister Doug Ford, Alexandra Adamo, in a response to an email from Radio-Canada.

In its platform, the NDPNew Democratic Party promises a minimum wage of $20 an hour in 2026, with annual increases of $1 an hour.

The party also promises to help small businesses achieve this with targeted support for those in need.

The Ontario Liberal Party is committed to increasing the minimum wage to $16 an hour as of January 1, 2023, in addition to developing a living wage that will take regional realities into account.

But, for Deena Ladd, one thing is certain… It’s time for action. Politicians must fight to protect essential workers and address some of the issues that have emerged during the pandemicsays the activist who is also calling for paid sick leave and additional legal protections for workers.

There are so many things that make people’s lives precarious, but could easily be fixed. We must introduce a certain stability, a certain security in people’s livesshe concludes.