The NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 minimum wage has surpassed $15 an hour.

As of Sept. 1, the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 minimum hourly wage increased by $1.74 SA国际影视传媒� from $13.46 to $15.20 SA国际影视传媒� becoming the second highest of any province or territory in Canada behind Nunavut.

In a March 11 statement, Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) Minister R.J. Simpson announced the wage increase would strike SA国际影视传媒渁 balance between maintaining fair and competitive wage rates while encouraging economic activity and supporting small businesses.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淏y providing workers across the territory with a minimum wage more suitable to the cost of living, and businesses the option to attract more workers for minimum wage positions - I am confident that this increase will benefit both NWT workers and businesses,SA国际影视传媒� he continued.

Jordan Crosby, the manager of Overlander Sports, said he had already been paying his employees above the minimum to retain his workers and motivate them to work harder.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 start anyone at minimum wage, whether theySA国际影视传媒檙e full-time or part-time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 tough living here in the North. Everyone is aware of what the cost of living is and on top of that

If you want staff to stick around, minimum wage is a sure way to make sure that doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen.SA国际影视传媒�

The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 minimum wage is reviewed every two years. It was last increased in 2018 and the cost of living has increased since that time, according to ECE.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want our staff to be able to be committed to the store,SA国际影视传媒� said Crosby. SA国际影视传媒淎nd at the same time, maybe not worry about working multiple jobs. We find that by investing in our staff and the employees here, we can see how invested they are in their work and their everyday tasks.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 would also say that I do feel that I have an expectation of the staff,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淪o sometimes I feel minimum wage might signal minimum effort and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 want that.SA国际影视传媒�

Resurgent coronavirus turning downtown into a ghost town, causing economic misery

Seiji Suzuki, owner of Sushi North, noted that many local businesses, especially small downtown businesses, are being hurt by a lack of traffic and the increased cost of products SA国际影视传媒� though labour costs have not been a problem.

SA国际影视传媒淩ight now, coronavirus numbers are going up,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淕overnment and everybody is working from their houses. Everything is online and tourism is down, so in the downtown, no one is there, no one the last couple days, so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 really surprising at this time.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淓mployers, theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to have a real hard time I think,SA国际影视传媒� he continued.

Suzuki said heSA国际影视传媒檚 doing everything he can to offer the same fees he has maintained for the last few years but as costs and wages go up, prices may need to follow.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 all we can do,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou go in the grocery store, you buy a few things and everything has gone up.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e been having the same prices for the past few years but profits are getting less and less,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淭he only thing we can do is increase prices. We donSA国际影视传媒檛 have plans to do that right now but maybe in the near future weSA国际影视传媒檒l be changing them.SA国际影视传媒�

Rami Kassem, the owner of Javaroma, also said the minimum wage increase will not affect his business SA国际影视传媒渂ecause we always paid way more than minimum wage.

SA国际影视传媒淣ine years ago, we started paying $15 an hour, so it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 affect us at all,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Conversely, the coronavirus is turning downtown into a ghost town, causing economic misery, he noted.

As opposed to several of YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 shops that might enjoy deep pockets, corporate names and drive-thru service, which are valuable things during a pandemic, he said, the increasing cost of goods and the coronavirus have caused massive suffering among small businesses, especially downtown.

SA国际影视传媒淓verything has gone sky-high,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he prices of the produce, from coffee, to cheese, to eggs to everything.SA国际影视传媒�

Before the pandemic Javorama had 16 employees. It is now down to eight and has reduced hours at both its locations, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou have dreams, you wanted to open more locations and serve more people and you have a brand name and everything. And then you build your dream, and suddenly you see it collapsing in front of you. And that was an April 2020,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had another outbreak starting last week, and we are back to April 2020,SA国际影视传媒� he continued. SA国际影视传媒淵ou canSA国际影视传媒檛 cover your expenses, you start putting in your own equity and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how long weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to stay operating.SA国际影视传媒�

Kassem said he SA国际影视传媒渉opes people will listen,SA国际影视传媒� and start supporting home-grown community businesses, noting heSA国际影视传媒檚 offering online options and delivery.

SA国际影视传媒淚 mean, this is the time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e are struggling and we are community places, not just Javorama, itSA国际影视传媒檚 all the businesses.SA国际影视传媒�