According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Calgary renters face one of the steepest affordability gaps in the country
- ClearView Insider
- Oct 10
- 1 min read
A worker needs to earn more than double Alberta’s $15/hour minimum wage to afford a one-bedroom apartment at the 30% income threshold.
Alberta has seen the sharpest deterioration since 2018, with rents rising 30% while the minimum wage has remained frozen.
By October 2025, Alberta will officially hold the lowest minimum wage in Canada, as other provinces and territories continue to raise their rates.
For Calgary: Persistent rental wage pressures highlight the growing demand for affordable housing and the importance of rental supply strategies in shaping the city’s real estate market.
Sources: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Making Rent: The CCPA’s rental wage update 2024, Sept. 4, 2025; Daily Hive, “Alberta will soon have the lowest minimum wage in Canada,” Sept. 2025