TORONTO — Ontario ministers are defending a secret payout to Elon Musk’s SpaceX after the province cancelled a $100-million Starlink contract, and the fee cannot be found in the latest public accounts.Treasury Board President Kinga Surma and Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce both refused this week to say what the government paid to end the deal. The province has said only that the kill fee is “significantly less than the contract value.” The province says the increase, tied to the Ontario Consumer Price Index of 1.9%, covers more than 700,000 workers. A worker on the general rate for 40 hours a week would gain about $728 over a year before deductions, or $14 a week. The new rate applies to hours worked on or after Oct. 1, so a pay period that straddles the date is split between the old rate and the new one.Labour Minister Trevor Jones said the increase is meant to keep wages in step with costs without surprising employers. “As families and workers face higher costs and businesses navigate changing trade environments, today’s minimum wage increase will help workers keep pace with global economic uncertainty while maintaining a predictable approach that businesses can plan for,” he said..About 35% of minimum-wage workers are in retail, and 24% are in accommodation and food services, the province said. Specialized rates for students, homeworkers and hunting and fishing guides also rose. The government said the general rate is the second-highest among provinces, and that Ontario’s floor has climbed from $14 an hour in 2018 to $17.95.The $728 figure is gross; it does not account for income tax, Canada Pension Plan contributions or employment insurance. The increase is automatic, not a new Ford government program: the act requires the rate to be reset every Oct. 1 to the Ontario CPI so employers can plan for it.
