The better plan would be a work-based subsidy that provides a cash transfer to working families with incomes below a certain level
By Charles Lammam and Hugh MacIntyre The Fraser Institute The Ontario Liberals and Ontario Progressive Conservatives both recently announced how they intend to help the working poor if they win the June 7 provincial election. Unfortunately, neither party has the right policy for targeting those who need help the most. First consider the Liberal approach…
How an iconic brand lost its Canadian identity and why its corporate masters probably don't care
The bad news keeps piling up for Tim Hortons. Leger and National Public Relations recently released their annual report ranking Canada’s most admired companies. Google and Shoppers Drug Mart topped the rankings of most respected companies, regardless of where the company resides. Google has been No. 1 for six years. Kellogg’s, in eighth place, is…
Help the working poor with targeted benefits like the CWB, not misguided minimum wage hikes
By Charles Lammam and Hugh MacIntyre The Fraser Institute Everyone wants to help the working poor. Unfortunately, governments across the country are going about it the wrong way by raising the minimum wage to $15. That misguided move does a bad job of targeting the people we want to help and produces a host of…
Raising the minimum wage is a flawed strategy for achieving the critically important social objective of raising people out of poverty
By Charles Lammam and Hugh MacIntyre The Fraser Institute As the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But good intentions alone aren’t enough to justify government policy. Real-world evidence matters. B.C. Premier John Horgan nonetheless recently announced plans to raise the province’s minimum wage by 34 per cent over…
A 32 per cent increase in the minimum wage in 12 months is simply irresponsible
This is turning into a very challenging year for the Canadian food industry. Recent Statistics Canada numbers indicate that grocers are in trouble. Food inflation is above two per cent for the first time since April 2016. This is typically good news for grocers, increasing their margins. But given major headwinds affecting the industry, grocers…
Parent company RBI’s international expansion plans may well be behind the heartless Tim Hortons policies in Canada
Destroying Canadian business icons seems to be a trend. In 2017, it was Sears. While employees were losing their pensions because of poor management, lawyers and consultants were receiving millions as the business was shutting down. Several Canadian retail icons have crumbled due to weak managerial strategies, from Eaton’s to Sears. Most closures, though, have…
The discrimination against human capital is one of capitalism's most egregious errors. It’s an error Tim Hortons’ franchise holders are making now
Governments in Alberta and Ontario have finally taken the plunge – starting on Jan. 1, they've raised minimum wages. Predictably, the pushback from business has been ferocious. You'd think aliens had landed. Provincial politicians are perceived to be either dangerous anti-business zealots or champions of the little guy, depending on which side of the capital/labour…
Government generally has little or no understanding of franchising, how food distribution forces play out or even simply how small businesses operate
Dramatically increasing minimum wages in the food industry is irresponsible and even reckless. On Jan. 1, Ontario’s minimum wage increased by 22 per cent, to $14 an hour. It will go to $15 on Jan. 1, 2019. That’s almost a 32 per cent increase in 12 months. Other provinces, such as Alberta and B.C., will follow…
A government-mandated increase in the price of low-skilled labour tends to lead employers to reduce their labour force
By Charles Lammam and Hugh MacIntyre The Fraser Institute It seems obvious: if you want to give low-wage workers a raise, increase the minimum wage. But raising minimum wage produces unintended consequences that hurt many of the people it’s supposed to help. B.C.’s new government recently promised to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2021,…
While a higher minimum wage benefits workers, it can be detrimental to small and large businesses
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne faces an uphill battle in her bid for re-election, so she’s tossed out a few political goodies in an attempt to increase her popular support before next year’s vote. Her biggest gift – or sop, depending on your perspective – is a significant increase to the minimum wage. Workers in Ontario…
