Minimum Wage Increase

Upcoming changes to minimum wage 2016-2018

Type of employee October 1, 2016 October 1, 2017 October 1, 2018
Most employees – General minimum wage $12.20/hour $13.60/hour $15/hour
Liquor servers (as of Oct. 1, 2016 the liquor server rate was eliminated) $12.20/hour $13.60/hour $15/hour
Salespersons 
(including land agents and certain professionals)		 $486/week $542/week $598/week
Domestic employees 
(living in their employer’s home)		 $2,316/month $2,582/month $2,848/month

Basic rules

  • employers must pay employees at least the minimum wage
  • minimum wage is the same for adults, liquor servers, adolescents and young people
  • wages don’t include tips or expense money
  • there are weekly and monthly minimum wages for some salespersons and domestic employees
  • each time employees are required to report to work, they must be paid at least 3 hours of pay at the minimum wage, even if they’re sent home after less than 3 hours
  • maximum deductions below minimum wage for provided meals and lodging will remain at $3.35 per consumed meal and $4.41 per day’s lodging

Demographics

Here is what we know about low-income earners in Alberta (April 2015 – March 2016 statistics):

  • approximately 296,200 Albertans currently earn less than $15 per hour
  • the majority, nearly 62 per cent, are female
  • over 38 per cent have children
  • about 54 per cent work full-time
  • over 78 per cent have permanent jobs
  • the majority, 58.5 per cent, work for employers that have 100 or more employees