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Chamber of Commerce to host Town Hall on Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs



By Brock Weir

It is legislation which will have wide-ranging impacts on all businesses, and now the Aurora Chamber of Commerce will help local business owners understand how they will be effected by Bill 148, Ontario's Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.

Working in conjunction with the Town of Aurora, the Town Hall on Bill 148 will take place this Monday, September 25 from 7 – 8 p.m. in Council Chambers.

“There have been constant streams of articles and media exposure on the Bill targeted at only the $15 minimum wage increase, and the business community needs to understand that it is more than just the wage increase that is going to have an impact,” says Javed Khan, President of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The Chamber and the Town decided to join forces to host the information and discussion session because the legislation itself has the potential to impact every single business in this community.

Bill 148, otherwise known as the Fair Workplaces Better, Jobs Act, includes dramatic increases in the minimum wage over the next 18 months, expansions of sick days and holiday pay and equal pay for equal work provisions.

According to the Chamber, the Keep Ontario Working Coalition's independent economic analysis of the Bill's impacts have “has revealed significant, sudden and sizable uncertainty for Ontario jobs, businesses and communities.”

“The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has spent the summer listening to the voice of Ontarians, traveling through dozens of communities and hearing stories which reiterate the findings of the economic analysis,” says the Chamber. “Business owners are feeling left behind and continually wonder how they can remain prosperous and sustainable during a period of increased regulation and economic uncertainty.”

To that end, Ashley Challinor of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to facilitate the discussion as well as explore opportunities the Provincial government should consider “to ensure business prosperity and success without unintended consequences.”

“The most immediate issue would be minimum wage, but I also see issues with overtime and different elements we're still trying to understand because [the legislation] is not shedding much light on that,” says Mr. Khan. “I think that is going to impact the business community also. This is an event for anyone who has a business in the community to come out and participate. It will impact the business that you're doing. If it is a small, two-person business or a very large organization, it is going to have an impact on you and you should come out to get, if anything, education on what the impact is going to be to your respective business.

“We are holding this event in the evening, so if you can come out for two hours, great. If you can come out for an hour, fine, but if you have any investment in your business, you will want to spend a minimum of two hours of your evening time to sit back, take notes, and get engaged with our presenters.”

 

 

Excerpt: It is legislation which will have wide-ranging impacts on all businesses, and now the Aurora Chamber of Commerce will help local business owners understand how they will be effected by Bill 148, Ontario’s Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act.


Post date: 2017-09-21 12:26:15
Post date GMT: 2017-09-21 16:26:15
Post modified date: 2017-09-21 12:26:15
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