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EDMONTON – Starting September 1, Alberta’s minimum wage will get bumped up from $9.75 per hour to $9.95 per hour.

Bartenders will continue to make $9.05 per hour, though, until the general minimum wage reaches $10.05 per hour.

The 20 cent increase is based on a formula initiated by the government in 2011, which uses the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Alberta as a gauge.

In the past year, AWE rose 3.1 per cent in Alberta, while the CPI grew 1.1 per cent; the average of those two figures is how the 2.1 per cent minimum wage increase was reached.

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“After taxes, Alberta’s minimum wage is the second highest amongst Canadian provinces and provides a good starting point for entering the workforce,” said Human Services Minister Dave Hancock. “From this starting point, we want to see these workers obtain the skills and experiences to advance their careers.”

About 29,300, or 1.8 per cent, of Alberta employees earned minimum wage between April 2012 and March 2013. Based on that figure, Alberta has the lowest percentage of minimum wage earners compared with other Canadian provinces.

58 per cent of those earning minimum wage in Alberta are 24 or under, and a majority of them work in the hospitality industry.

For more information, visit the Alberta Minimum Wage Profile.