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The decision angered business groups and opposition critics, but the government indicated the move would create more jobs and ensure workers in the province receive a living wage.

In an interview Wednesday, Notley said her government will examine the minimum wage issue as Alberta grapples with low oil prices and the economic downturn.

Asked if the government was having second thoughts on the $15-an-hour target by 2018, the premier said her government will make its decision based upon the best available evidence and research.

She said the one-dollar increase announced in June “didn’t bring about the end of all economic activity as we know it,” as some critics had predicted.

What we’ve said all along is the pace is something that needs to be sensitive to the current economic situation — the depth and breadth of which we are still, all of us, are still coming to understand. So that’s what we’re going to do

“Going forward we’re going to continue to get the best information we can. We’re also going to evaluate the state of the economy,” Notley said.

“Quite honestly, from May until now, projections with respect to the price of oil have not improved … and so the length and duration of the economic slowdown in Alberta is something we’re going to keep a close eye on, and we’re going to look at all that stuff together as we assert the pace moving forward.”

The premier said the province might tweak its plan if it causes economic problems, adding “the targets are notional.

“That’s one of the other things … somebody said, hypothetically, this is how it would go and these would be the targets. And in fact, what we’ve said all along is the pace is something that needs to be sensitive to the current economic situation — the depth and breadth of which we are still, all of us, are still coming to understand. So that’s what we’re going to do.”