SCOOP: Trouble in Thornhill

Plus: Stealing Baber's thunder, the fine print on labour and long-term care changes, and a minimum wage redux

ABOVE THE FOLD

BREAKING LAST NIGHT — MINIMUM WAGE REDUX: After cancelling a planned hike in 2018, the Ford government is bringing in a $15-an-hour minimum wage starting in January, according to a senior government source who confirmed leaks to the Toronto Star. Official word on the 65-cent increase — which will be tied to inflation and also cover lower-earning bartenders and servers — comes from Premier DOUG FORD, Labour Minister MONTE MCNAUGHTON and Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY at 11 a.m. in Milton.

— BIZ BRACE THEMSELVES: “Restaurants are going to lose their minds,” one industry-connected source texted of the news.

DAN KELLY, head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, pulled no punches: “I might have thought [Ford] would let small businesses have a shot at surviving the pandemic before further pandering to Ontario’s unions.”

— WORKERS CRY ELECTIONEERING: Labour advocates aren’t appeased. “3 years too late!” tweeted DEENA LADD, executive director of the Workers’ …