Alberta now at the 'back of the pack' as several provinces raise minimum wage

With the calendar flipped to October, some workers in Canada will be getting a raise. The minimum wage in several provinces increased on Tuesday – leaving Alberta tied with Saskatchewan with the lowest rate.

"Our minimum wage has been frozen in Alberta for seven years now at $15 an hour," said Bradley Lafortune with Public Interest Alberta.

"We were once Canada-leading ... we're now at the back of the pack."

Saskatchewan raised its minimum wage Tuesday to $15 an hour to match what Alberta has been at since 2018.

Ontario increased its rate to $17.20 per hour, Manitoba raised its minimum wage to $15.80 and PEI upped its rate to $16.

According to the most recent data from Statistics Canada and the Alberta Government, only about five per cent of people who are working in Alberta make minimum wage.

Some of those workers include students, such as Sierra Magnus of Calgary, who are trying to balance post-secondary schooling with a job.

"It's probably time to move (minimum wage) up a bit. I work two jobs right now," she said.

"One of them is 15 (dollars per hour), one of them is 18. The difference between those paychecks, it's very heavy."

In a statement to CTV News, Alberta's labour minister said the province is monitoring its rate but raising it could have consequences for business.

"Alberta’s government understands that significant changes to the minimum wage could negatively impact small businesses, youth and Albertans seeking their first job or part-time employment," reads part of the statement from Matt Jones, the minister of jobs, economy and trade.

"Further, these changes also affect operational costs, which ultimately flow through to all Albertans," the statement says in part.

Labour advocates say boosting the minimum wage would provide much-needed help for low-income earners.

"It is really a difference between, you know, having that decent quality of life, being able to save up for a rainy day and retirement, versus having to take out loans or going deeper into debt to pay for the basics," said Lafortune.

British Columbia has the highest minimum wage of the provinces at $17.40. Nunavut leads the entire country with its rate of $19 per hour.