Alberta UCP plans no change to minimum wage structure if elected

Last Friday the Government of Alberta released its 2020 Minimum Wage Expert Panel report which was initiated as a historical review of the dramatic rise of the minimum wage between 2015 and 2018.

The report examines the macro-level impacts that these changes had on businesses and the Alberta economy as a whole. It found that the increases in the minimum wage were responsible for approximately 23,000 jobs being lost across the province from 2015-2018. The greatest job losses were reported among younger workers and, according to a survey data from Alberta business, severe escalations in labour costs were a key contributor to limiting the number of staff they could hire. Jason Stanton, Managing Partner of The Running Room, helped represent RCC in the report.

The UCP has used this release to advise that if re-elected this May 2023, they intend to maintain the province’s current minimum wage structure, believing that maintaining the current rates offer more stability and predictability to employers and support economic growth. During the campaign, the NDP will argue minimum wage should increase when the cost-of-living increases.