This week's minimum wage increase couldn't come at a worse time for High River businesses.

That according to High River Chamber of Commerce President, Steven Muth.

He says just when local businesses seemed poised to see some real recovery from the flood, they've been hit by a double whammy.

"The economy, for no fault of anybody's, just got jerked out from underneath us in Alberta, and we're like 'Ok, we got to hunker down again!' And this is the third nail. And you're just like, 'Really!?' Where did this come from? And why now? And I guess that what a lot of business owners are asking is why now? And how am I supposed to survive this?"

Muth says the hike in the minimum wage is ideologically driven by the Provincial NDP.

He says in the long term it will hurt every business in Alberta.

Workers in Alberta making minimum wage will see an extra dollar an hour Starting Saturday, October 1 as it goes from $11.20 to $12.20/hour.