FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two minimum wage increases means double trouble for Islands restaurant, bar and pub
operators
CHARLOTTETOWN, December 3, 2015 The PEI governments decision to raise the
minimum wage twice in 2016 to $11 an hour will undermine PEIs foodservice industry. The
announced increases are significantly higher than other economic indicators, and will make the
Islands minimum wage the highest in the Atlantic region. This will hurt small businesses across
the province making it more difficult to provide job opportunities for Islanders.
Nearly a third of every dollar in restaurant sales goes towards payroll and is a significant input
cost for Island restaurant operators who are struggling with razor thin margins of just 4.9%. The
increases will cost the average operator over $7,000 and the foodservice industry as a whole over
$2.5 million a year.
As the third largest industry on the Island with 5,700 employees, restaurants provide more firsttime jobs than any other industry, says Luc Erjavec, Atlantic Canada Vice President for
Restaurants Canada. Many of these jobs are a stepping stone to the broader workforce, giving
young Islanders the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.
To help restaurants create more job opportunities across the province, Restaurants Canada
recommends that government:

Raise the basic personal tax exemption to a level more consistent with other Canadian
provinces, putting more money in the pockets of lower-income workers.

Slow the scheduled increases in minimum wage to match the marketplace.

Introduce a tip differential to recognize the significant extra income earned by liquor
servers. (Such differentials exist in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.)

About 75% of minimum-wage earners in the restaurant industry are young people under the age
of 25, and well over two-thirds work part-time. In most cases, these individuals live at home, are
students or are secondary-income earners.
This initiative is counterproductive at a time when we are struggling to keep young Islanders
from leaving the province because of a lack of job opportunities, says Erjavec.
Restaurants Canada is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including
restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast
to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant

industry. PEI's restaurant industry directly employs 5,700 Islanders, and employs 1 in 5
young people between the ages of 15 and 24.
-30For further information: Luc Erjavec, Vice President, Atlantic Canada, cell 902-209-0804
or lerjavec@restaurantscanada.org; Beth Pollock, Communications Specialist, 1-800-3875649 ext. 4254, or media@restaurantscanada.org