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Minimum wage to increase by $1 on October 1

Alberta’s minimum wage earners will get a $1 raise on October 1. The NDP Government announced today that it will raise the salary floor to $11.20 per hour as part of its overall plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018.

“Alberta’s minimum wage is currently the lowest in the country, yet we have one of the highest costs of living. We promised Albertans we would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018, and we will stick to that promise,” said Premier Rachel Notley. “We’re taking a significant step towards our goal for 2015 and will continue this path in future years.”

The current minimum wage is $10.20 per hour, liquor servers earn $9.20 per hour that will jump to $10.70 on October. 1.

“Businesses thrive and do well in Alberta because they look at the market and figure out what they need to do and if they’re going to raise the minimum wage up their prices might have to go up a little bit,” Lori Sigurdson, Jobs Minister. “Me, as many Albertans will be happy to pay a little bit more so our most vulnerable can be supported.”

The raise will bump Alberta from having the lowest minimum wage in the country to the third highest.