In 2011 Vancity embarked on a journey to become Canada’s largest Living Wage Employer. In June 2013, the credit union has moved one step closer with its recertification as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage for Families Campaign.

Over the past few years, communities across Canada have been working towards adopting living wage policies.  These communities identified the value of developing a Canadian Living Wage Framework which includes a consistent living wage definition, calculation methodology and strategy for recognizing corporate and community leadership who commit to pass a living wage policy. 

The Living Wage for Families Campaign, in conjunction with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA),  today released its annual recalculation of Metro Vancouver’s living wage: :  $19.62/hour. This announcement coincides with the publication of new living wage calculations by two First Call partners; Community Social Planning Council of Victoria in Greater Victoria  ($18.73/hour) and Living Wage Fraser Valley  ($16.37/hour).

The Ontario branch of the Canada Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) recently hosted a living age ‘think tank’ in Toronto with Michael McCarthy Flynn, campaign organizer for the Living Wage for Families Campaign. 

The Living Wage for Families Campaign has written to all four provincial parties asking for consideration of the following actions:: as part of a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Plan for BC:

Prince George living wage

The University of Northern BC’s economics department and the local United Way recently calculated the living wage for Prince George at $16.90/hour. This wage is intended to cover basic costs, including shelter, food, childcare and MSP premiums.

Terrace Living Wage Campaign

A recent study by 10 social work  students at Terrace’s local UNBC campus, , under the direction of BC Association of Social Workers president Robert Hart, pegs the living wage rate for Terrace at $17.65/hour.