Alberta is the only province in Canada that has not seen an increase in the minimum wage this decade, and it’s now tied with just one other province for having the lowest minimum wage in the country.
While Manitoba, Ontario, PEI, and Saskatchewan are all seeing an increase in the minimum wage today, Alberta’s last increase came on October 1, 2018. The province’s $ 15-an-hour minimum wage was once the highest in Canada but is now tied with Saskatchewan as the lowest.
The highest minimum wage in the country can be found in Nunavut, at $19 per hour, followed by Yukon, at $17.59 per hour, followed by British Columbia at $17.40 per hour, according to the Retail Council of Canada.
Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada
The last update of any kind to Alberta’s minimum wage was in June 2019, when the province lowered it for students under 18 from $15 to $13 per hour, though with restrictions on overtime hours and school enrollment.
When we spoke to the provincial government earlier this year about raising the minimum wage, there were no plans to increase the wage in Alberta. This is despite the cost of living climbing dramatically in the six years since, with Calgary and Edmonton experiencing some of the fastest-growing rent prices in Canada.
“Alberta’s government is constantly and carefully evaluating the appropriateness of the current minimum wage. We are committed to ensuring Alberta remains the best place to live, work and raise a family,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade told Daily Hive.
“Our minimum wage earners have the third highest after-tax income in Canada. We have the lowest provincial income taxes in the country, the highest personal amount and no sales tax, meaning Albertans keep more of the money they earn.”
The most recent assessment of the province’s minimum wage came from an expert panel in March 2023. Following the panel’s conclusion, Brian Jean, former minister of jobs, economy, and trade, stated at the time that Alberta had no plans to raise the minimum wage.