The New Alberta Wage Disadvantage

Alberta was long known as having the highest earning workers in Canada, and it wasn’t even close. Under the UCP, Albertans’ earning power has eroded.  

As of this year, Albertans’ average hourly earnings are now behind both British Columbians’ and Ontarians’. Workers in BC made $36.24 an hour in January. In Alberta, they only earned $35.44. 

This is a consequence of many poor decisions, including driving away billions of dollars in renewable energy investment, tying our economy to the oil and gas industry that continues to shed jobs, and underfunding education and raising tuition and student loan costs, so Albertans cannot acquire more marketable skills.  

All this is on top of Alberta experiencing the highest inflation rate in Canada, as we noted two weeks ago. Rental and electricity price increases have been particularly high in Alberta, and UCP seems to have no real plan to bring housing and utility costs down. 

The economic data keeps pointing to the same conclusion. We need a government that’s responsive and takes action to help Albertans. We really cannot afford a government that’s focused on fighting the federal Liberal Party and constantly whining about the carbon tax. We can’t afford the UCP.