THUNDER BAY – Chambers of Commerce across Ontario, including the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Government of Ontario to immediately repeal the drastic labour reforms introduced by Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces Better Jobs Act, 2017. Recent testimonials from the Ontario business community showcase a common theme – the labour reforms established by the previous government were too much, too fast and have significantly limited their ability to maintain or grow the workforce they need to be competitive.
“Businesses in Thunder Bay are experiencing real consequences from this legislation’s lack of substantive stakeholder consultation and unrealistic implementation timelines,” said Charla Robinson, President of the Thunder Bay Chamber. “Premier Ford pledged to make Ontario ‘Open for Business’ by implementing policies that make it easier to invest, start, and grow a business in the province as well as build an economy that connects workers to jobs. This begins with the reversal of Bill 148.”
Over the coming weeks, the Thunder Bay Chamber and the Ontario Chamber Network will showcase testimonials about the impacts of these legislative changes, such as the need for businesses to decrease staff hours and capital investment and increase reliance on automation.
While the Thunder Bay Chamber supports the minimum wage remaining at $14 an hour, the Ontario business community must be appropriately consulted, and a comprehensive economic impact analysis needs to be completed before any further changes to employment legislation are made.
“We encourage the broader employer community to join us in calling on the government to take immediate action,” said Robinson. “The Thunder Bay Chamber is dedicated to working collaboratively with the provincial government to strengthen business competitiveness and economic prosperity in communities across Ontario.”
