Anyway, sorry for making you think about Seth Rogen and hardcore nudity at the same time.
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In Case You Missed It
Canada's provincial flags. Right: Canadian banknotes.
Marc Bruxelle | Dreamstime, Roman Romaniuk | Dreamstime
Several of Canada's provinces and territories are in line to raise their minimum wages over the coming months, with Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon getting their next bump on April 1. In fact, a few of these provinces will get a second minimum wage hike later this year, too, as provinces scramble to keep up with inflation. Quebec, Saskatchewan and PEI will also see increases later this year, while the Northwest Territories is formally changing the way to calculate its minimum wage moving forward, Katherine Caspersz writes.
- However: Three of Canada's four most populous provinces aren't touching their minimum wage in 2023: Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. While both Ontario and B.C. gave their workers a bump last year, Alberta actually hasn't touched its minimum wage since setting it at $15 per hour back in 2019. Nunavut also isn't getting a raise this year, either.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
A man in construction. Right: A woman in construction.
@skilledtradesontario | Instagram, @skilledtradesontario | Instagram
It should be no shock by now that working in skilled trades can prove extremely lucrative, even for those just starting out in their careers. The world needs electricians, welders and plumbers, to say the least — especially if bozos keep pouring bacon grease down their sinks. Ontario currently has a deficit of these sorts of workers; if you were considering a big career change, this would be the time to weigh your options.
Rhythm Sachdeva rounded up the five high-paying skilled trade jobs in Ontario right now — from painters/decorators ($76,338) to electricians ($91,635) — but most importantly, she also broke down how long it would take you to become fully licensed for each job.
Narcity writer Morgan Leet lounging on a deck chair. Right: Morgan snowboarding on a mountain.
Morgan Leet | Narcity
Morgan Leet has previously written about her decision to relocate from Canada's Maritimes to beautiful British Columbia — and why she'd never go back east. Still, though she's firmly entrenched in west-coast culture, the New Brunswick transplant still has an outsider's eye, which allows her to pick up on unique aspects of life in B.C. that the locals tend to take for granted. For one, the way sustainability is at the forefront of culture is something you won't find everywhere in Canada. Read on for the full list.
What Else You Need To Know Today
🥘 SIMU-LATION
Since breaking out on Kim's Convenience, then starring in the Marvel franchise as Shang-Chi, the GTA's own Simu Liu has become one of our country's foremost ambassadors. So where does the 33-year-old actor eat when he's in Canada's biggest city? Liu highlighted his three top places to eat in Toronto, from Kensington Market to Scarborough. Mira Nabulsi has the deets.
💵 DOLLAR DIET
With everyone feeling the inflation (or greedflation) crunch at the grocery checkout counter, more and more Canadians seem to be turning to low-cost options like dollar stores to fill out their pantries. Is that even healthy, though? A dietician on TikTok says you can actually eat reasonably well off dollar store staples — if you know where to look. Sarah Rohoman summarizes the key points.
🏠 SURREAL ESTATE
Look, Laval isn't exactly the French Riviera, but with a glass of wine in hand, it's not hard to find a slice of French paradise — especially when you're sunning yourself on the private beach adjacent to your $10.5-million Laval-sur-le-Lac mansion. MTL Blog's Willa Holt spotted this listing, which features four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms spread over a sprawling 9,500-square-foot palace. Join us for a virtual tour.
📌 JOB BOARD
Ever dream about working for Canada but not in Canada? For starters, that's an oddly specific dream, but to each their own. In any case, the Government of Canada is actually looking to hire folks to work overseas in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Foreign Service Development Program — and as Lisa Belmonte points out, the opening salary is nearly $100K.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Seven-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Katie Ledecky splashes into 26 years old today. Irish troubadour Hozier is 33. Vancouver singer (and Elon ex) Grimes is 35. Former NHLer Bobby Ryan is 36. American wrestler Samoa Joe is 44. Trump lover turned antagonist Stormy Daniels is 44. U.S. soccer legend Mia Hamm is 51.
The late fashion designer Alexander McQueen would've turned 54 today. Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is 56. Rob Lowe is 59. Sam Bowie, the basketball player selected one pick ahead of Michael Jordan, is 62. Lieutenant Dan himself, Gary Sinise, is 68. Kurt Russell is 72. Iconic Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston is 79. The late jazz legend Nat King Cole was born on this day in 1919.
Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — and remember: If I see you putting green food colouring in a pint of Guinness today, I'm calling in Ireland's national guard.
Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at [email protected] or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.
Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
Someone eating a Lucky's donut.