Two-thirds Approve of $14 Minimum Wage

| Filed under: Ontario

Two-thirds Approve of $14 Minimum Wage

Its projected effect on the economy is polarizing

Toronto, January 15th – In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1022 Ontario voters, two-thirds (TOP2: 62%) said they approve of the provincial government increasing the minimum wage to $14 per hour, with almost 4 in 10 (38%) saying they strongly approve.

A third (BTM2: 32%) say they disapprove, with 2 in 10 (20%) saying they disapprove strongly.

Few (6%) have no opinion or say they do not know (1%).

Respondents most likely to approve of the minimum wage increase include those aged 65+ (73%), females (70%), earning $20,000-$40,000 (74%), with some college or university (67%) or a post-graduate degree (66%), living in Toronto (77%), and supporting the Ontario Liberals (91%).

Respondents most likely to say they disapprove of the minimum wage increase include those aged 35-44 (39%), male (40%), earning $40,000-$60,000 (37%), $60,000-$80,000 (35%), $80,000-$100,000 (36%), or the most wealthy (37%), the least educated (35%) or with a college/university degree (36%), living in Southwestern (43%) or Northeastern (40%) Ontario, and supporting the PCs (53%).

Overall opinion is divided on effectiveness of the increased minimum wage

Almost half (TOP2: 45%) say that the increase in minimum wage will have a positive effect on the provincial economy, with one-sixth (17%) saying it will be very positive. More than a third (BTM2: 38%) say that the effect on the economy will be negative, with 2 in 10 (20%) saying it will be very negative.

Fewer than one-sixth (12%) think that the increase will have no effect on the provincial economy for good, or ill, and few (4%) say they do not know.

Respondents most likely to say that the minimum wage will have a positive effect on the economy include those aged 65+ (53%), females (51%), earning $20,000-$40,000 (65%), with some college or university (53%), living in Toronto (61%), and supporting the Liberals (76%).

Respondents most likely to say that the minimum wage will have a negative effect on the economy include those aged 34 and younger (40%) or 35-44 (43%), males (48%), earning $60,000-$80,000 (43%) or $80,000-$100,000 (45%), the least educated (44%) or those with a college or university degree (41%), living in Southwestern Ontario (51%), and supporting the PCs (59%),

  

“Ontarians overwhelmingly support the minimum wage increase to $14, with two thirds saying they approve of it, and the lowest earners, and therefore the most likely beneficiaries, most strongly in favour," said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum Research. “And while slightly more feel the increased minimum wage will have a positive effect  on the economy, than a negative one, the issue is clearly polarizing, particularly amongst partisan lines with a massive amount of Liberals in favour, and a majority of Progressive Conservatives opposed."

 

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.