Masthead image: bottom
Brian Morris, 2015 Food Bank Challenge Participant, Constituency Manager & Executive Assistant, York Region

Teresa Porter, Volunteer, LAMP Community Lunch Program, Newmarket, Ontario

Pauline Apperly, Director, Our Town Food bank, Tottenham, Ontario

Alf Judd, Former Director of Operations, Georgina Community Food Pantry, Sutton, Ontario
Join Freedom 90 as a member, as a friend or as a subscriber and receive our interesting, informative and sometimes controversial newsletter
My name is Fred Watt. I'm the president of CUPE 905 and I've done the Freedom 90 Challenge. Take a look at www.fredsfreedom90.ca
"50 Ways to Close the Food Bank" Listen to our theme song performed by volunteers in Sudbury (with apologies to Paul Simon!)
Download and print a copy of the Freedom 90 Charter to post in your volunteer workplace!
Download and print a copy of our brochure and share it with fellow volunteers!
You are welcome to read our privacy policy.

Demand an increase in the minimum wage

June 1, 2013

As part of a coalition of community, labour and faith groups from across Ontario, we support an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $14

We need a raise in the minimum wage to $14 an hour now because:

  • • A strong minimum wage will help workers, our communities and boost our economy.
  • • Working full-time should raise us above the poverty line. Working 35 hours a week, we need $14 an hour to get 10% above the poverty line (LIM) in 2013.
  • • The minimum wage has been frozen for 3 years while rent, food and transit costs have soared! It's time to melt the freeze, and then index the minimum wage to the cost of living each year.

If the Minister of Labour creates an advisory panel to study the minimum wage:

  • • It will be a deliberate strategy to have a minimum wage rate set below the poverty line while trying to avoid responsibility for that decision
  • • It will be a way to distance the government from a decision to keep minimum wage workers in poverty
  • • Be a waste of time and taxpayer's money

Other provinces that have advisory panels on minimum wage

  • • Set minimum wage at an average level of 21% below the poverty line

What you can do
  • • Send an email to Kathleen Wynne or a letter from your organization supporting our call for an increase and no panel
  • • Submit a letter to your local paper on why your community needs a raise now
  • • Join the Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage on Facebook to get regular updates