Public Interest Alberta has released the latest data on low-wage earners in Alberta from Statistics Canada.
Click here to read our media release showing what the data means for Albertans and the new government's plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018.
Alberta-wide statistics
Nearly one out of every five workers earns $15 per hour or less
- 362,400 Albertans earn $15 per hour or less out of a total of 1,915,700 employed Albertans (18.9%).
- 414,100 Albertans earn $16 per hour or less (21.6%).
- 117,500 Albertans earn between $9.20 per hour and $11.20 per hour (6.1%).
The majority of low-wage workers are women
- 225,600 low-wage workers are women (62.3%).
- 73,700 women earn $11.20 per hour or less.
- Women make up 62.7% of workers making $11.20 per hour or less.
Three quarters of low-wage workers are in their prime earning years
- 285,500 (78.8%) low wage workers are at least 20 years old.
- 68,700 (19.0%) are 20 – 24 years old.
- 130,500 (36.0%) are 25 – 44 years old.
- 86,300 (23.8%) are 45 years old or older.
Edmonton Region Statistics
- 123,900 out of 646,100 employed Edmontonians earn $15 per hour or less (19.2%).
- 140,200 Edmontonians earn $16 per hour or less (21.7%).
- 39,700 Edmontonians earn $11.20 per hour or less (6.1%).
- 78,900 low-wage workers in Edmonton are women (63.7%).
- 25,800 women in Edmonton earn $11.20 per hour or less.
Calgary Region Statistics
- 122,100 out of 691,100 Calgary workers earn $15 per hour or less (17.7%).
- 142,300 Calgary workers earn $16 per hour or less (20.6%).
- 37,500 Calgary workers earn $11.20 per hour or less (5.4%).
- 73,500 low-wage workers in Calgary are women (60.2%).
- 22,900 women in Calgary earn $11.20 per hour or less.
- Women make up 61.1% of workers in Calgary making $11.20 per hour or less.
