The Keep Ontario Working Coalition recently said that the Ontario government’s Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs Plan could lead to severe consequences including job losses, high consumer costs and economic hardship.

“We share in the Government’s desire for broadly inclusive growth," the Coalition said in a statement. "However, in order to achieve this, we need to ensure that we are not risking job losses, rising consumer costs and economic hardship as a result of over-regulation."

In a statement, the coalition called for a third-party analysis of the plan to study its impact on employers, as well as government agencies.

“That is why we are urging the government to take time this summer to have an independent third party conduct a comprehensive economic impact analysis on the proposed reform to consider the unintended consequences to employers,” the coalition said. “In addition, as the province’s biggest employer, the government must fully understand what these changes will cost in relation to the provincial treasury as well as social services and other government agencies.”

The coalition also points to a Minimum Wage Advisory Panel’s research, which showed the possible negative effects of minimum wage raises, especially on young workers.

“We will continue to be cooperative partners with government to find solutions that will, where possible, inhibit negative impacts on the growth of Ontario’s economy, our people and our communities,” the coalition concluded in its statement.