Our response to the City of Vancouver dropping their commitment to Living Wage, Anastasia French, Provincial Manager of Living Wage for Families BC said:

“It is incredibly disappointing that the City of Vancouver have dropped its commitment to paying their staff and contracted workers the Living Wage. It’s vital that anyone working on behalf of the City of Vancouver can afford to live in Vancouver.

Their decision to instead pay workers a five-year rolling average goes against the spirit of the living wage. People across the city are struggling to pay for the cost of essentials right now, not the cost of rent or food averaged out from 5 years ago.

We are disappointed that they made this decision behind closed doors, with no option for the public to input and share their views on the importance of everyone earning a Living Wage.”

“We’re grateful for the hundreds of employers across BC, including the Cities of Port Coquitlam, Quesnel and Victoria that have committed to pay their staff the new Living Wage. These employers have found that paying a living wage is good for workers, good for business and good for the local community.

Working poverty has enormous fiscal implications for social programs, health care costs, education, employment, and criminality. Paying city workers the Living Wage is a key solution to solving these issues.” said Anastasia French

The Living Wage is the hourly wage that two adults working full-time need to earn to support the basic expenses of a family of four. It is a barebones calculation that does not include debt repayment or savings for retirement.

The Living Wage for Metro-Vancouver is currently $24.08 an hour. The City of Vancouver’s change will mean that workers and contractors will instead earn at least $20.90 an hour.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. Organizations can certify as a Living Wage Employer if they commit to ensuring their direct staff and contracted workers earn a Living Wage. The living wage can be made up of base wage and other benefits they offer.