The Sask. Chamber of Commerce wants 13-year-olds to be able to work. Not everyone is happy about it | CBC News

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce has a novel solution to dealing with what they say is a labour shortage in the province — lowering the minimum working age to 13 years of age from 14.

The recommendation is contained in the chamber’s platform for the upcoming provincial election, which is meant to provide political parties “with information on the priorities of Saskatchewan businesses,” according to the organization.

While the proposed policy is nowhere close to being reality yet, it’s already receiving pushback from experts and labour organizations. 

“I find it very troubling. I’m not sure where this is coming from,” Lori Johb, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour. 

“For decades now, we’ve said that children have to be of a certain age to work, and 13 is far too young as far as we’re concerned.”

Reason for recommendation unclear 

It’s not clear why the chamber of commerce has suggested lowering the minimum working age.

It did not provide a response to a series of questions by deadline, and CBC News was told an interview on the subject would not be possible this week. 

Instead, the chamber provided a statement saying it has been an unequivocal advocate for workplace safety and workplace standards.

“Ultimately, the [Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce] believes the decision for a youth to enter the workforce resides with the youth and their family/guardian,” the statement read. 

The only context to the recommendation is that it follows a section in the chamber’s platform that highlights workforce challenges in Saskatchewan, including a lack of skilled workers and a labour shortage. 

Johb says providing higher wages or full-time work with benefits are effective ways to deal with labour shortages.

“I think that for a lot of people, they’re working two or three jobs just to be able to pay their bills and to afford their families and to do all the things,” Johb said. 

“Making sure that people are going to work younger is not going to help that at all.” 

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Sean Tucker, a professor of occupational health at the University of Regina, says he’s still trying to understand the rationale for the recommendation, but dropping the minimum working age is concerning. 

“We’re actually either increasing the minimum age or putting greater restrictions on what 14- and 15-year-olds can do. So lowering the age, to me … wouldn’t really fit kind of what I’m seeing across Canada,” he said. 

Workplace poisoning of teen an example of danger

Tucker and Johb pointed to a recent CBC Go Public story that highlighted a young teen’s experience at his first job as a reason to not lower the employment age. 

In Oct. 2023, Wil Krotenko, then 14, was directed by his manager to clean the enclosed areas of the meat department at the local Co-op grocery in Canora, Sask., about 250 kilometres northeast of Regina. 

Krotenko was provided with a gas-powered pressure washer but given no training on how to use it properly, according to a workplace safety report. 

The teen, who was not supervised, soon began feeling lightheaded and dizzy, and then collapsed.

Krotenko was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Edmonton with severe carbon monoxide poisoning. 

A workplace safety report found the Co-op broke Occupational Health and Safety regulations, including failure to provide adequate supervision, allowing employees under the age of 16 to work in a hazardous space, and exposing young workers to dangerous chemicals or substances.

Despite all of that, the employer faced no consequences, aside from being told to fix the problems.

WATCH | This teen was poisoned at work. His employer received no penalty:

A teen was poisoned at work and his employer received no penalty | Go Public

The family of a then-14-year-old who suffered severe carbon monoxide poisoning while working at a Saskatchewan grocery store tell CBC’s Go Public they are outraged there were no serious consequences for his employer.

Tucker said the incident highlights how young workers can often be directed to do things that aren’t safe, or that they shouldn’t be allowed to do. 

“When you get to young people, especially, the power differential between themselves and their supervisor and employer is incredible,” Tucker said. 

There can be a benefit for youth getting experience in the workforce, Tucker said, but that comes with a potential risk of physical harm or significant impairment. 

The only way to eliminate that risk is to not allow youth to do it all, he said. 

Johb agreed, saying it’s just another reason the policy recommendation doesn’t make sense. 

“Kids need time to be kids,” she said. 

The Official Opposition says they won’t use the proposal in their platform this election.

“We don’t support lowering the working age to 13. Instead, retaining newcomers and training and hiring jobseekers will be our priority,” said Aleana Young, the NDP’s jobs critic. 

In a statement, the Government of Saskatchewan said they appreciate the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce’s work and are considering suggestions as the province approaches the upcoming election. 

“There are no active discussions regarding lowering the minimum working age,” the statement reads. 

Saskatchewan in context

If Saskatchewan did shift to a minimum working age of 13 years old, it would join Alberta and Manitoba as Canadian provinces with similar policies. 

British Columbia, meanwhile, allows children between 12 and 14 to work with permission from their guardian, while Ontario allows 14-year-olds to work.

In 2009, Saskatchewan established 14 as the age where individuals can join the workforce, but only under certain conditions.

Individuals who are 14 or and 15 years old need permission from their parent or guardian and must complete the province’s Young Worker Readiness certificate course. 

They are not allowed to work more than 16 hours a week when school is in session and can’t work after 10 p.m. on a day before a school day. 

People younger than 16 can join the workforce but are restricted from joining certain industries, such as construction, mining, forestry or logging, while those under 18 cannot work in underground mining or as a radiation worker.

Children who work at a family business or on a traditional farm, or are self-employed, babysitters or newspaper carriers are exempt from the minimum age of employment in Saskatchewan.