Minimum wage earners get a raise

A long list of new provincial measures taking effect just after we rang in the New Year.

The minimum wage is now set at $14 an hour, and will climb to $15 next year.

As well, employers will have to give all employees who have worked with a company for five years or more, three weeks vacation time.

To offset the minimum wage increase, the province is cutting its corporate income tax rate for small businesses to 3.5 per cent from 4.5 per cent.

A  ban on smoking on hospital property went into effect yesterday as well.