Government of Yukon
News archives
FOR RELEASE #07-012
January 30, 2007
Consumer Price Index Prompts Minimum Wage To Increase April 1
WHITEHORSE - Effective as of April 1, the Yukon Minimum Wage will increase 12 cents per hour, raising it from $8.25 to $8.37 per hour.
In March 2006, the Yukon government supported the recommendation from the Yukon Employment Standards Board to annually set the Minimum Wage against the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as practiced with the Fair Wage Schedule.
Statistics Canada released the annual CPI figures on Jan. 23 noting a 1.5 per cent annual average increase for 2006. As a result, the Yukon Minimum Wage and the Fair Wage Schedule will increase accordingly effective April 1. The Fair Wage Schedule will also increase by 1.5 per cent across the four wage categories.
The authority for setting the Minimum Wage rate in Yukon rests with the Employment Standards Board which undertook a public consultation during 2005-06 to capture the views of employees, employers and the general public on the proposed changes to the Minimum Wage rate.
There was strong support, from both employers and workers, to annually set the Yukon’s two wage structures against the Consumer Price Index to recognize the increasing cost of living.
The Fair Wage Schedule is based on category, class and job title, and sets the wage rate that can be paid to persons working on government tendered construction contracts. To view the Fair Wage Schedule, visit the website at: http://www.community.gov.yk.ca/labour/fairwg.html.
-30-
| Contact: | |
| Roxanne Vallevand Cabinet Communications (867) 633-7949 roxanne.vallevand@gov.yk.ca | Doug Caldwell Communications, Community Services (867) 667-8065 doug.caldwell@gov.yk.ca |