AUPE survey highlights need for living wage legislation in Alberta

EDMONTON—Results from an Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) survey and report show that thousands of working Albertans are falling behind, with many unable to meet even their most basic needs.

AUPE’s Living Wage Survey, which ran from April 29 to July 15, 2025, gathered responses from 4,157 AUPE members across 187 communities in Alberta. The findings reveal the severe toll of low wages in Alberta:  

• 65 per cent of respondents said they were unable to make regular bill payments on time over the past year;
• 36 per cent of respondents reported missing minimum monthly payments over the past year;
• 93 per cent of respondents had to eliminate at least one expense in the past year (ranging from childcare and transportation to extracurricular activities);
• 84 per cent of respondents said Alberta's lack of commitment to equal pay and social equity impacts their job satisfaction and livelihood;
• 89 per cent of respondents said Alberta should adopt living wage legislation.

“These numbers show how workers are falling through the cracks,” says Sandra Azocar, AUPE vice-president and chair of the union's Pay and Social Equity Committee.  

“Albertans work hard, but low wages and high costs of living make it impossible to keep up. A living wage should be about dignity and care, not just survival.”

Currently, Alberta has one of the lowest minimum wage rates in Canada at only $15.00/hour, just enough for an annual income of around $30,000. AUPE’s report notes that a living wage in Alberta should be closer to $21.63/hour, or $43,300/year. This is the threshold workers need to meet basic expenses and contribute to their communities.

The report also notes a correlation between a respondent's wage and their use of the food bank. As they move from under $18/hour to beyond $23–$26/hour, the rate of food bank usage is cut by 50%.

“Albertans deserve more than to scrape by,” says Azocar. “Raising wages is the right thing to do. It’s also the smart thing to do for our economy and our future.”

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Sandra Azocar is available for interviews.

Contact Tamara Aschenbrenner, Communications Officer: t.aschenbrenner@aupe.org or 780-904-1320.