The Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce is looking for feedback from local businesses on the minimum wage in the province.
Earlier this week, the UCP government voted down a proposed bill from the Alberta NDP that would have resulted in a significant bump minimum wage.
Bill 201 proposed raising Alberta’s minimum wage from $15 per hour to $16 per hour, beginning in December. The bill proposed a yearly increase to eventually hit the $18 per hour mark by October 2027.
Currently, Alberta’s minimum wage of $15 per hour is the lowest in Canada. It will remain at that figure and has not changed since 2019.
Now, a survey from the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce is asking business owners how they feel about the current wage and how they would react to a potential increase.
LIVING WAGE
The Alberta Living Wage Network listed Lethbridge’s living wage at $22.30 per hour in its latest report, which is one of the subjects included in the survey.
The living wage is defined as the hourly wage someone needs to earn to cover their basic expenses to live in their community.
The wage for Lethbridge was up 11.5 per cent from 2024.
The ALWG notes Alberta’s $15 per hour minimum wage only covers 50 to 80 per cent of what is required to live in communities across the province.
The Chamber of Commerce survey is available online.
