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By The Canadian Press* r# v# q/ F5 ^/ ]3 z$ I% F
: v4 ^8 _& O$ \) Q& n( `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. : s5 ^* i0 H6 S5 D) m( v" ^+ q
6 Z: |# l* R7 {" lThat 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.
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8 W8 C% z& h) fAlberta's 40-cent per hour boost on April 1 may not seem like a lot in a province where the average hourly wage is $23.90.
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# U9 L+ w' y; P% E8 _But most minimum wage earners are between 15 and 19-years-old and work in the hotel, retail and food service industries.
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# V3 j& J6 d8 G; NEmployment Minister Hector Goudreau says while most people earn much more than the minimum wage, the province didn't want to forget about those in lower-income occupations.
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7 W! q" P2 f$ N6 k0 xAlberta 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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