Skip to content
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube
occ-logo
  • Rapid tests available for small business!
  • COVID-19
    • Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Webinars
    • Our Advocacy
    • COVID-19 Policy Brief Series
    • SME Difference Makers
    • Work From Home
    • Mental Health Resources
    • How to Protect Yourself
    • Talk To Us
    • #DifferenceMakers
  • Advocacy
    • Blueprint To Bolster Ontario’s Prosperity
    • COVID-19 Policy Brief Series
    • Ontario Climate Action Series
    • Ontario Economic Report
    • Our Publications
    • Vote Prosperity
  • Councils
  • Events
    • Advocacy Day
    • Annual General Meeting
    • Ontario Business Advisory Council
    • Ontario Business Achievement Awards
    • Ontario Economic Summit
  • Webinars
  • Programs
    • Grow Your Business Online
    • Talent Opportunities Program
    • Discover Ability Network
    • Canada United Small Business Relief Fund
    • Export and Trade
  • Membership
    • Affinity Programs
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Policy Updates
    • Blogs
  • About
    • Contact
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Strategic Plan
Asset 6
x
x
  • Rapid tests available for small business!
  • COVID-19
    • Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Webinars
    • Our Advocacy
    • COVID-19 Policy Brief Series
    • SME Difference Makers
    • Work From Home
    • Mental Health Resources
    • How to Protect Yourself
    • Talk To Us
    • #DifferenceMakers
  • Advocacy
    • Blueprint To Bolster Ontario’s Prosperity
    • COVID-19 Policy Brief Series
    • Ontario Climate Action Series
    • Ontario Economic Report
    • Our Publications
    • Vote Prosperity
  • Councils
  • Events
    • Advocacy Day
    • Annual General Meeting
    • Ontario Business Advisory Council
    • Ontario Business Achievement Awards
    • Ontario Economic Summit
  • Webinars
  • Programs
    • Grow Your Business Online
    • Talent Opportunities Program
    • Discover Ability Network
    • Canada United Small Business Relief Fund
    • Export and Trade
  • Membership
    • Affinity Programs
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Policy Updates
    • Blogs
  • About
    • Contact
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Strategic Plan
search_White

Ontario Deserves Evidence Based Reform: Statement on Ontario’s Fair Workplaces Plan

COVID-19 Information COVID-19 Resources
Tools and Resources Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit Frequently Asked Questions Webinars Our Advocacy Policy Brief Series SME Difference Makers Government News Work From Home Mental Health Resources How to Protect Yourself Talk To Us #DifferenceMakers
Become a Member
Become a Member >
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube

Media Release

Ontario Deserves Evidence Based Reform: Statement on Ontario’s Fair Workplaces Plan

May 30, 2017

Changes Will Hurt Job Creation, Consumer Costs and Economic Growth

The Keep Ontario Working coalition, in partnership with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), today expressed concern that the Government of Ontario’s Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Plan, commits to unproven sweeping reforms without ensuring protection against unintended consequences, including job losses, rising consumer costs and economic hardship.

The Keep Ontario Working Coalition (KOW) is a broad-spectrum group of business sector representatives concerned with sound public policy to help produce jobs and grow Ontario.

As noted in the Business Prosperity Index of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Ontario Economic Report, despite projections that Ontario will lead Canada in economic growth in the coming years, diminished profitability, lower labour market participation, and sluggish market activity; along with other key factors have resulted in a risk-averse atmosphere that businesses are disinclined to grow production. Businesses are questioning if they should grow in Ontario or expand offshore.

Despite that, Ontario’s private sector is still doing its part to support workers. As the Government pointed out in Budget 2017, 98 per cent of all new jobs since the recession in Ontario have been full time, and 78 per cent in above-average wage industries. This positive economic activity by Ontario’s private sector demonstrates a clear commitment to good jobs throughout our province.

OCC and Keep Ontario Working Statement:

The following is a statement by the Keep Ontario Working Coalition on the Government’s proposed workplace reforms:

“We share in the Government’s desire for broadly inclusive growth. However, in order to achieve this, we need to ensure that we are not risking job losses, rising consumer costs, and economic hardship as a result of over-regulation.

“Government cannot regulate prosperity. To demonstrate true fairness and compassion for workers, we must ensure Ontario has a strong economy to help create jobs and increase economic growth.

“That is why we are urging the government to take time this summer to have an independent third party conduct a comprehensive economic impact analysis on the proposed reforms to consider the unintended consequences to employers. In addition, as the province’s biggest employer, the government must fully understand what these changes will cost in relation to the provincial treasury as well as social services and other government agencies.

“Why is evidence-based policy important? Only three years ago, the Premier’s own Minimum Wage Advisory Panel conducted extensive research and concluded: ‘In the Canadian context, researchers have generally found an adverse employment effect of raising minimum wages especially for young workers?typically those studies find that teen employment would drop by 3 to 6 per cent if the minimum wage is raised by 10 per cent.’

“While the Changing Workplaces Review cautioned that any regulatory change shouldn’t impair the competitiveness of businesses in the province, the reforms outlined in Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Plan thus far do not provide the balance needed to help ensure a competitive environment for Ontario.

“But we have time. Now we must work cooperatively with government to identify the scale of the economic impact of these changes and help employers transition into any new policy regime. We will continue to be cooperative partners with government to find solutions that will, where possible, inhibit negative impacts on the growth of Ontario’s economy, our people, and our communities.”

Previous

Half of Ontarians fear their skills will soon be obsolete

Next

Keep Ontario Working Coalition: Ontario Deserves Evidence-Based Reform

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube

Site Nav

  • Advocacy
  • Events
  • Programs
  • Membership
  • News
  • About
  • Contact

Receive Updates

Subscribe to our mailing list and stay up to date on everything with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Subscribe Now
PREMIER MEMBERS
TELUS SNC Lavalin Ontario Power Generation Hydro One CPAO Bell BDO Canada RBC Royal Bank Ontario Real Estate Association Medavie Blue Cross Primerica CN Desjardins PwC McCarthy Tetrault Coca-Cola Canada Meridian Credit Union Uber BMO Bank of Montreal Bruce Power Air Canada Power Corporation of Canada Boehringer Ingelheim Eli Lilly Greater Toronto Airports Authority Aecon Enbridge Rogers Google WSIB Ontario Waste Connections of Canada Cogeco Omers Labatt Arcelor Mittal IBC GSK LiUNA ICG Northeastern University Fire and Flower Golfdale Consulting The Stratagem Group TLN Media Group 407 ETR Concession Company Ltd. Accerta Rothmans, Benson and Hedges (RBH) Grasshopper AstraZeneca Bio Marin Pharmaceutical Birch Hill Equity Partners Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals CF Industries Cisco Systems Canada Club Link Corporation Innovative Medicines Canada Magna Carta International Pfizer Canada Inc. Service Now The Canada Life Assurance Company Northbridge Consulting Insurance MNP Takeda TC Energy Destination Nothern Ontario Interac Corp. DoorDash Staffy Microsoft Cadillac Fairview Meta Beer Canada Shopify Inc

Ontario Chamber of Commerce © 2023 | Privacy Policy | Service Standard | Employment Opportunities
The OCC is an accredited chamber of commerce