Alberta Tip Laws (2026)

Alberta has no law on who owns tips or how tip pools work: its Employment Standards Code only says tips are not wages, so each workplace sets its own tip policy. Everyone gets at least the $15.00 minimum wage (students under 18 can be paid $13.00 for limited hours), and the lower liquor server rate ended in 2016. Bills to protect tips were defeated in 2025.

Last reviewed October 11, 2026.

At a glance

Minimum wage	$15.00 an hour since October 1, 2018; no increase announced
Students under 18	$13.00 for the first 28 hours a week in school weeks
Liquor server rate	None since October 1, 2016
Tip ownership and pools	Not regulated by employment standards
Tips count as wages	No
Deduction limits	Protect earnings, not tips

Minimum wage

Alberta’s minimum wage has been $15.00 an hour since October 1, 2018, and no increase has been announced (Employment Standards Regulation, s. 9). Students under 18 can be paid $13.00 for the first 28 hours a week while school is in session and for all hours during school breaks; hours over 28 in a school week get at least $15.00. The liquor server rate of $10.70 was eliminated on October 1, 2016.

Tips

The Employment Standards Code mentions tips only to exclude them from wages (s. 1(1)). It does not regulate who owns tips, whether an employer can keep them, how tip pools work, service charges or card fees. A 2018 government guide for the hospitality industry, now archived, said tips are not covered by the Code and each workplace decides how they are handled; no current government page addresses tip pooling.

The Code’s limits on deductions for things like breakage, cash shortages and walkouts protect earnings (wages, overtime, vacation and holiday pay), not tips (s. 12).

Proposed changes

Opposition bills to protect tips were defeated at second reading: Bill 210 on April 28, 2025, and Bill 201 on November 17, 2025.

What it means for a restaurant

Because employment standards law is silent, the rules your staff work under are whatever your tip policy says. Put it in writing, say who shares and how, and apply it the same way every time. Official guidance does not say whether any other Alberta law limits an employer keeping tips, so get advice before keeping any part of them.

Alberta tip FAQ

Can an employer keep tips in Alberta?

Alberta’s employment standards law does not say. The Code only excludes tips from wages, and an archived 2018 government guide said each workplace decides how tips are handled. Get legal advice before keeping any part of employees’ tips.

Is tip pooling legal in Alberta?

Nothing in Alberta’s employment standards law prohibits or regulates it, so tip pools are set by workplace policy.

What is the minimum wage for servers in Alberta?

$15.00 an hour, the same as everyone else; the lower liquor server rate ended on October 1, 2016.

Can my employer deduct walkouts from my tips in Alberta?

The Code’s limits on deductions for walkouts and breakage protect earnings, which do not include tips, and no Alberta rule addresses tips directly.

Official sources

This page summarizes the law for restaurant operators and staff; it is not legal advice. Wages and rules change, and cities can set their own minimums. Check the linked official sources, or ask an employment lawyer, before changing how you handle tips.