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By The Canadian Press2 z+ Z q6 E7 c* r! O1 q4 K" n2 }
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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.
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That 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. " J% j: e% x" Z+ I; g
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Alberta's 40-cent per hour boost on April 1 may not seem like a lot in a province where the average hourly wage is $23.90. 0 T% |1 t) \0 b
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But most minimum wage earners are between 15 and 19-years-old and work in the hotel, retail and food service industries. 6 c. ~$ ^% k; J' b; W1 c5 r
8 W0 q# k; Z" I/ e: xEmployment 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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Alberta 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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