Alberta to raise minimum wage to $10.20 in September

The Alberta government announced today that the general minimum wage will be raised to $10.20 on Sept.1.

The liquor server minimum wage will also increase to $9.20 from $9.05 an hour at that time.

Alberta is the last province to hit the $10 generalminimum wage barrier.

While Alberta has the lowest percentage of employees earning minimum wage in the country, these individuals form an important part of our workforce," saidKyleFawcett, the minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, in a release.

"Many work in the service and retail sectors and are gaining the experience they need to succeed. These changes will give them a modest increase while keeping the viability of their employers in mind as well.

The increase is based on a formula used since 2011 that links the general wageto annual increases in Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) andConsumer Price Index (CPI) in Alberta.

The province says theAWE rose 3.3 per cent in the last year,while the CPI rose 1.4 per cent.

"When Albertas high personal exemption and low tax rates are factored in, the new general minimum wage ranks second highest in Canada, after Ontario," said the province in a release.

Employers and employees with questions about minimum wages can contact the Employment Standards Contact Centre at1-877-427-3731or visit the Work Albertawebsite.