The Government of Alberta has increased the minimum wage across the province to $15 an hour. 

Despite pushback from many chamber boards and opposition parties, the Government moved ahead with the raise, which was promised in their 2015 election campaign.

Labour Minister Christina Gray (Photo Courtesy: Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)

Minister of Labour Christina Gray says she has heard concerns throughout the province but believe the wage increase is helping more Albertans.

“It’s women, it’s families, it’s hard working friends and neighbours of ours. Making sure that we have the backs of workers and that we’re having that immediate impact of having a little more money in their pockets, money that they can spend in our local economy. I think it’s good not just for the worker but for Alberta.”

One of the criticisms that has surfaced is that youth will make the same wage as working adults, which leaves many uneasy.

Minister Gray says that this should not be an issue.

“I think it’s unfair and it’s a mistake to assume that youth don’t have financial responsibilities or pressure because often they are saving up to go to school or they may be living on their own or have a child. There are lots of different situations and making sure that every working Albertan gets that fair wage is a priority for me and our government.”

Currently, Alberta has the highest minimum wage in the country with B.C. and Ontario set to raise theirs to $15 in the next couple of years.

Amidst the concerns that have been brought up, Minister Gray says they are still communicating with different businesses about the wages.

“We continue to work with different industries and monitor the impacts of this policy coming in. What we’ve seen over the last few years with the minimum wage slowly being increased is that employment has been gaining in both retail and food and accommodation.”

 

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Minimum Wage Increase Difficult To Take For Small Business

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