Written by George Henderson in our MyCaribooNow.com newsroom
An attack on small business!
That’s Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes’ reaction today to the NDP decision to increase BC’s minimum wage.35 an hour by September 15th.
Oakes, also the Liberal Critic for Small Business, says one group, in particular, is going to feel the impact is young people.
“We’re really proud of our government and our jobs plan that we were able to increase employment for youth and part of that is a strategy of trying to target programs around training and things to help support that.”
Oakes says this increase, for mom and pop type shops, could be the difference in hiring an extra person.
“They want to make sure that investment goes back to their employees and they are growing their business. But what they need to do is have it in a sustainable fashion where they know where that increase is coming so that they can plan for it, that is critically important and that the jump in the rate isn’t too such an extent that they can’t manage it through their cash flow.”
She says a lot of small businesses in the Cariboo are already struggling because of the wildfires and this will just add to that.
She questions if the NDP has “any idea what is happening in rural British Columbia.”