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By The Canadian Press
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EDMONTON - Alberta's lowest wage earners will get a bit of a break next month as the minimum wage increases by five per cent to $8.80 per hour. % ^& W, f9 F. V% y7 ~/ p, [
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That rate is pretty much in the middle of the pack compared to other provinces, with Ontario leading the nation with a rate that will jump to $9.50 at the end of the month. 3 k) _. C9 l3 _6 u% u& Z
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Alberta's 40-cent per hour boost on April 1 may not seem like a lot in a province where the average hourly wage is $23.90. 1 o$ V/ u b% q
) z# R+ f# U UBut most minimum wage earners are between 15 and 19-years-old and work in the hotel, retail and food service industries.
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Employment Minister Hector Goudreau says while most people earn much more than the minimum wage, the province didn't want to forget about those in lower-income occupations. M( m/ J' p2 W5 }
3 U4 @) ~* w0 B: i0 ]* a3 _; J9 TAlberta uses a formula to set the minimum wage each year, with increases calculated each spring using the average weekly earnings for all sectors. |
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