The Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce is concerned over an independent study on the economic impacts of Ontario's proposed labour reforms.
Bill 148 includes a minimum wage hike to $15 per hour by 2019, and addresses scheduling, temporary work, vacation time, and unionization.
The Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis says the reforms will cost Ontario businesses $23-billion, put 185,000 jobs at risk, and increase the cost of goods and services by $1,300 per household.
Chamber President and CEO Shirley de Silva says the figures are alarming and the process needs to be slowed down.
"We would urge caution, precisely because these reforms will place our most valuable and vulnerable at future risk," says de Silva. "So, we're concerned with the pace at which the government is going about implementing these reforms."
de Silva says the Ontario government would have to borrow $440-million more to cover increased costs to businesses.
She says if they plan to provide offsets to businesses, as they have indicated, the province's treasury would take an even bigger hit.