Friday Focus: Our Paltry Minimum Wage

Alberta now is tied with Saskatchewan for the lowest minimum wage in Canada, at $15 per hour. It has been frozen since 2018, even as the cost of living has surged and other provinces raised their minimum wages to help workers make ends meet.

The reality is stark. Alberta has some of the highest basic living expenses in the country, but our minimum wage is $2.40 an hour behind BC’s and $2.20 behind Ontario’s. The living wage - the amount a person needs to cover essentials like housing, food, and transportation exceeds our current minimum wage. The result? Albertans working for minimum wage are struggling.

Raising the minimum wage is not just a matter of fairness; it’s a necessity. A wage freeze is effectively a cut as inflation erodes purchasing power. This government’s inaction forces Albertans to make difficult choices between food, rent and other essentials. Our growing homeless population is one result. Our government must step up immediately to ensure all workers earn a decent living.

Raising the minimum wage would provide much-needed relief to thousands of Albertans and help build a more equitable and prosperous province.