Alberta’s minimum wage goes up
Posted Sep 1, 2013 8:31 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Those earning minimum wage in the province get a raise today.
Their pay increases 20 cents to $9.95 and hour.
Despite the hike, Alberta still has the lowest minimum wage of all Canadian provinces.
Alberta Director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Richard Truscott admits optically that doesn’t look good but on the flip side we’ve actually got the fastest growing wages of any province in the country.
He says, “We also have the smallest portion of people working at minimum place than any place in the country and that’s because the best minimum wage policy is a strong economy and we’ve certainly had that in Alberta over the last few years.”
“Most minimum wage earners do not stay in those jobs, they end up moving onto better jobs and that’s exactly what should be happening,” adds Truscott.
The Alberta government says its overall wage may be the lowest, but it is the second highest, behind only B.C., after personal exemptions and taxes are factored in.
There are currently just under 30-thousand people earning minimum wage in Alberta.
