Peridot gemstones smaller than three carats are very common but gemstones over five carats are rare and therefore have a higher value. Peridot in 10 to 15 carats are even more rare, but provide a big and bold look for an affordable price.
MONTREAL -- Quebec will raise the province's minimum wage to $12 an hour as of May 1, Labour Minister Dominique Vien announced Wednesday. More than 352,000 workers stand to benefit from the 75-cent increase, the largest hike in Quebec history. Vien said in a statement the rise is in line with a four-year plan to have the minimum wage equivalent to 50 per cent of the average provincial hourly wage by 2020, without exceeding that level.
At $12, Quebec's minimum wage would be the third highest in the country behind Alberta's and Ontario's. Ontario raised its minimum hourly wage to $14 per hour on Jan. 1 and plans another increase to $15 next January. Alberta's minimum wage is expected to rise to $15 later this year. Daniel Boyer, president of the Quebec Federation of Labour, which represents about 600,000 workers, said the province could have done better.