The living wage for a household in Metro Vancouver is $25.68 an hour, according to a report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) released on November 8.
This is a 6.6% increase compared to 2022, when it was $24.08.
This living wage assumes a household with two children and both parents working. It calculates items necessary for basic living, such as housing costs, food costs, childcare costs, and communication costs. On the other hand, it does not include funds for purchasing a home, preparing for retirement, or preparing for higher education, and some have pointed out that the amount is not “the amount necessary to live comfortably.”
The report says that although inflation rates have fallen from last year’s peak, the cost of living continues to rise rapidly in British Columbia.
Meanwhile, the minimum wage in British Columbia is $16.75. That’s even lower than Dawson Creek, which has the lowest living wage in the state at $20.64. The gap between minimum wage and living wage has widened significantly in British Columbia over the past two years, with Metro Vancouver at about $9 an hour, the report said. It also reports that one-third of two-parent households in Metro Vancouver earn less than a living wage.
In Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area is at $25.05, Ottawa is at $21.95, Hamilton is at $20.80, and Southwestern Ontario has the lowest rate at $18.65. The minimum hourly wage in Ontario is $16.55.