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1h ago

Five Provinces Raise Minimum Wage as Alberta Becomes Canada’s Lowest

Many provinces now use inflation indexing for annual wage adjustments.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested Tuesday, that a hike in the province's minimum wage, would be a barrier to the employment of more young people.
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Overview

  • Effective Oct. 1, Ontario’s minimum wage is $17.60, Nova Scotia’s and Prince Edward Island’s are $16.50, Manitoba’s is $16.00, and Saskatchewan’s is $15.35.
  • Alberta stays at $15 per hour, which now ranks as the lowest provincial minimum wage in Canada.
  • Premier Danielle Smith defended holding Alberta’s rate, pointing to the lack of a provincial sales tax and warning higher wages could deter hiring young workers.
  • Alberta’s Opposition NDP is pressing for a higher, inflation-indexed minimum wage, and the province maintains a $13 student rate set in 2019.
  • The new rates reflect inflation-linked formulas, including Saskatchewan’s method that weights CPI and average hourly wage equally, and employers are being advised to update payrolls accordingly.