Alberta increased the minimum wage to $12.20 for all Albertans on October 1. The increase is part of the province’s plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 in 2018 and eliminate the lower wage for liquor servers.
Previously, minimum wage earners were making $11.20 an hour and liquor servers were making $10.70. But the increase has some small-business owners concerned.
Linda Bruce, president of the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce, said some small businesses in Airdrie are already struggling to stay afloat.
Adnan Ahmad, owner of Boardwalk Fries Burgers Shakes in Airdrie, said he has been forced to cut worker hours to keep up.
“It’s very hard,” Ahmad said. “It’s not just me. Everybody else will get affected too.” Staff members who were working 30 hours a week are now working 10 to 15 hours a week, he said.
Debi Macleod, owner of The Avenue Cakery & Bakeshoppe, said she employs high school students to wash dishes and will have to cut their hours.
“It doesn’t make sense to pay someone so much to do dishes after school,” Macleod said. “These kids at some point are no longer going to be able to get jobs because there’s going to be an adult that wants a job more that will do a better job.”
