Article content continued

In an interview, Oates said the “notional” targets referred to by the premier are increases in 2016 and 2017.

“She’s talking about the steps we’ll have to take to reach $15 per hour by 2018 and what the pace of the implementation will look like,” she said.

“At this point today we are moving forward with our commitment for $15 an hour by 2018 and we will look at the implementation of that and the economic challenges as we move forward with it.”

The only target set out by the government is the 2018 increase, with the NDP never laying out planned increases for the intervening years.

The government raised the minimum wage from $10.20 an hour to $11.20 an hour in October.

The minimum wage promise has been criticized by businesses who say it will raise their costs and force layoffs in a province already grappling with the effects of slumping energy prices.

Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said he was happy when it appeared Notley would step back from the wage hike and it’s a mistake for the government to stick to its guns.

“I believe the premier is being pushed and pulled on this and other issues by the ideologues advising her from out of province,” he said. “That’s why you saw a flip-flop on this and other issues.”

An internal government document prepared last June showed the province can’t currently evaluate the impact of its plan to hike Alberta’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and that “significant job loss” could be a “realistic possibility.”