I don't have a specific salary to suggest, but I can state that, if we do not re-value the grocery trade—let's call it that—we will never be able to keep people. We will never be able to stop the revolving door. That would involve a substantial increase in salary.
If someone earns $25,000 or $30,000 per year, can they buy a house and start a family? In Montreal, a basic, decent condo costs between $300,000 and $400,000. Can a worker earning $25,000 or $30,000 a year afford to buy a condo or anything other than a mediocre apartment?
They also need decent group insurance, so they don't have to empty their wallets to go to the dentist. Then, they need a pension plan that will allow them to retire at 60 or 65 without too many financial problems. Finally, they need a decent wage. Is that $17 an hour, $20 an hour or $25 an hour? It depends on the regions and the circumstances, but one thing is for sure. The government has to get involved in this. It has to evaluate the situation completely from one region to another. It has to establish a structure that will result in the companies in the industry making sure that their workers have decent wages and conditions.
So I can't tell you whether we are talking about $17 an hour or $20 an hour, because that will vary from one region to another. Thank you for the question.