The NDP's concept that a large number of minimum wage earners are single parents is a myth, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Alberta Director for the CFIB Amber Ruddy says of the province's 38,600 minimum wage earners only 600 are single parents with kids under 18, and the wage increase will likely hurt the economy.

"The government's justification for moving ahead with the $15 minimum wage proposal is that they want to help single parents earning minimum wage that are providing for a family. In many cases that is simply not the case. The impacts of the minimum wage would be increased prices throughout the economy, it would result in less hours being provided to current number of employees."

She says they are concerned with possible job loss associated with the $15 minimum wage policy.

"We issued a freedom of information request to figure out what research the government has done to come to the justification that we need a $15 minimum wage. And the government's own advisers are telling them that it's reasonable to assume there will be a significant job loss."

Ruddy says if the government has conducted further study showing a reduced risk of job loss, they are required to share it publicly. She says before Christmas, Premier Notley called the minimum wage increase a notional target that may be implemented more slowly in a shaky economy, which could help businesses absorb the impact.

Ruddy says there are a number of ways the government can help individuals, including single-parent minimum wage earners.

"They can offer training opportunities to help people advance out of entry-level positions and gain higher wages. They can also reduce the amount of taxes that a minimum wage earner makes, and stop taking taxes from their income."

Ruddy says there are many options the government needs to explore, before they put this increase on the backs of businesses and we need to re-examine the policy to discuss if the merits of the wage hike are needed given the state of the economy.

The CFIB has a petition to gather as many signatures as possible from people who believe the minimum wage increase will have a substantive effect, and that other policy options should be explored first. To find the petition, click here.