Josie Rudderham of Cake and Loaf Bakery at Queen's Park

by Sara Cain at 900CHML Hamilton

A Hamilton business owner told the final hearing on the Ontario’s Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, Thursday, that a $15 an hour minimum wage is not only manageable but necessary.

Bill 148 has sparked concerns about how small businesses will survive the 32 per cent increase.

But Josie Rudderham of Cake and Loaf Bakery says she has done it and added seven positions along the way.

“To be fair, a healthy business should be able to absorb it, over the timeline given,” she told the standing committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. “Some businesses might fail because of this and I think we all know that is a reality, but that we have a much larger community problem here,” she said.

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