Jobs offering employees a living wage in Alberta: Indeed

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The Alberta job market is competitive for employees and employers, but finding jobs that pay a living wage can be especially challenging.

It’s been a while since Alberta’s minimum wage increased. The last time was in 2018, when it jumped from $13.60 an hour to $15. That number is far lower than what the Alberta Living Wage Network says is a liveable wage in cities throughout the province.

The city with the lowest living wage in the province as of 2023 is Medicine Hat at $17.35 an hour, still over $2 an hour more than the minimum wage in Alberta.

The most expensive might not be what you’d immediately think of, but it is unsurprising: Canmore has the highest living wage at $38.80 an hour. These are the living wages in 16 municipalities around Alberta as of 2023, according to the Alberta Living Wage Network:

Brooks, $19.05
Calgary, $23.70
Canmore, $38.80
Drayton Valley, $19.55
Edmonton, $22.25
Fort McMurray, $24.50
Grande Prairie, $18.90
High River, $21.70
Jasper, $24.90
Lac La Biche County, $21.60
Lethbridge, $20.60
Medicine Hat, $17.35
Red Deer, $18.75
Spruce Grove, $21
St. Albert, $23.80
Stony Plain, $21.10

If these numbers stress you out, you might find yourself scrambling to find a job that will pay the bills and hopefully give you a good quality of life.

While jobs that pay minimum wage or slightly above it offer perks and other incentives, this might not be a great tradeoff for those struggling to make ends meet. These are some of the jobs listed on Indeed that are offering applicants a living wage around Alberta.

If you’re in one of Alberta’s two biggest cities, it might be worth looking at what the cities have to offer. Municipal government jobs can pay well and offer good benefits, with some salaries topping $100,000 in both Calgary and Edmonton.

If you are intrigued by working in the mountains and have a background in glasswork, there’s an opportunity in the Canmore and Banff area that pays between $39 and $44 an hour.

If you live in Calgary and have been dreaming of a gig that blends office and work from home, there’s a hybrid speech pathologist position offering well above living wage at $42 to $60 an hour. You’ll need a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology/Therapy and be registered with ACSLPA. There’s a similar job on offer in Edmonton for a speech and language pathologist to work at The Centre for Autism Services Alberta (CFASA), starting at just over $80,000 a year.

If you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty, a company in Calgary is also looking for scaffolders to join the team. Salaries range from $23 to $36 an hour.

If that kind of work appeals to you but you happen to live further north, North West Paving Ltd. is looking for a paving crew in Edmonton. The wages are between $20 and $40 an hour.

Anyone who’s been to Edmonton knows it has a pretty spectacular river valley. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast living in the area, there is also an arborist position open with Trusty Tree Services for between $30 and $50 an hour.

If you have sales experience and are looking for a good-paying gig, you might want to apply to City Ford in Edmonton. The company is offering between $60,000 and $200,000 for sales associates. To be considered, you will need at least two years of experience in car sales and two years of customer service experience.

This selection of jobs merely scratches the surface; depending on your experience and qualifications, there are many more available in Alberta.

Happy job hunting!

With files from Amir Ali