Minimum-wage workers will see their hourly pay go up by more than a buck.
According to a release, the Yukon government will be increasing the minimum wage to $16.77 per hour, up from $15.70, starting April 1.
The boost is based on the 2022 consumer price index for Whitehorse, which is 6.8 per cent.
An annual increase in pay for the lowest paid workers in the territory is a stipulation in the Liberal-NDP confidence and supply agreement.
“With prices of essential goods skyrocketing, it’s getting harder and harder for folks to make ends meet, let alone save for the future,” Yukon NDP Leader Kate White said in the release.
“Increasing the minimum wage to inflation is just fair — and it will help people with the lowest pay in the Yukon to afford basic necessities. I’m proud of the work we have done to ensure Yukoners are able to live with dignity.”
Around 3.9 per cent of employed people in the Yukon — 887 of 22,758 workers — reported making minimum wage in the fall of 2021, according to 2021 Yukon Employment and Skills Survey data.
In the release, Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn noted that inflation is increasing the cost of goods, services and food across Canada and around the world.
“Our government is committed to making life more affordable for Yukoners,” he said.
“This minimum-wage increase, linked to the annual rise in the Yukon’s consumer price index, will help the Yukon’s lowest paid workers during these difficult inflationary times.”
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com