By Brady Ratzlaff

Local Chamber Chair hoping for the best when minimum wage goes up

Sep 12, 2018 | 11:05 AM

With the minimum wage rising to $15 per hour come early fall, some are wondering if it will affect the number of jobs available in the province.

Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce Chair Cris Seppola-Podsada says smaller businesses could take a hit, and they play a big role in providing work in cities such as Grande Prairie.

“A profitable business employs people and there are so many small businesses that create so many jobs in our own community and across the province. It’s important that we are able to keep these businesses profitable, so we can have those jobs.”

She says in some cases, businesses can’t pay higher wages but still are able to provide jobs especially to entry-level workers who will be impacted the most by the wage hike.

Seppola-Podsada adds the wage hike may have not been the best decision for the government as they try to support the cost of living for lower income earners.

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“I think that there are other things that could have been looked at to help solve any poverty issues that we might be having. I think that its admirable of the government to want to do that. I think there could have been so more research into different ways to do that to make it fair across the province.”

She says the government could have implemented other ways to combat the cost of living with through taxation, such as increasing the personal exemption limit or a different rate of taxation for lower income earners.

Seppola-Podsada is hoping for the best.

“The minimum wage is rising, that’s a reality that we are facing. Hopefully, the outcomes are good for our business and our citizens.”

Alberta’s minimum wage will be the highest in Canada come October 1st.