By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Thousands of Red Deerians to receive minimum wage increase

Sep 7, 2018 | 6:47 AM

More than 8,000 Red Deer workers will receive a raise on October 1st because of the minimum wage increase.

Public Interest Alberta (PIA) has released new data from Statistics Canada showing that more than 300,000 Albertans, nearly one in six workers, will receive a raise when the minimum wage is raised from $13.60 to $15.00 per hour starting next month.

 “We have gone on too long allowing workers to be paid poverty-level wages,” said Joel French, Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. “The minimum wage increase will allow these Albertans to better support their families. It is also part of building a strong economy where no one is left behind.”

 PIA says 8,700 employed Albertans in Red Deer and area earn less than the incoming minimum wage of $15 per hour (18.6%), while 4,800 earn the current minimum wage of $13.60 per hour (10.2%).

Nearly two-thirds of Red Deer workers receiving a minimum wage raise are 20 years of age or older.

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“The common myth that most low wage workers are teenagers living in their parents’ basements is simply not true,” added French. “The vast majority are at least 20 years old. Most of these people are trying to start their careers or are in the middle of their careers trying to support their families. These are the people who need it the most.”

The data released by Public Interest Alberta also shows that more than 60 percent of Alberta’s low wage workers are women.

(With file from PIA media release)