Vancouver’s newest Living Wage Employer

Vancouver Premier Contracting (VPC) has become the latest landscape designer in BC to commit to pay their staff and contracted workers a living wage by certifying as Living Wage Employer.

In addition to reviewing and increasing wages across the company, VPC also recently implemented a 4-day work week and company paid extended health benefits to encourage employee recruitment & retention as well as assist with the overall wellbeing of the team.

“Vancouver Premier Contracting is delighted to be certified as a BC Living Wage Employer. With the ever-growing cost of living in BC and a labor shortage to boot, it’s more important than ever to compensate our teams accordingly.” Adam Cottrell, Owner and CEO, VPC  

VPC specialize in creating elegant outdoor living spaces. They create beautiful yard designs by combining seasonal color, perennials, landscaping, and maintenance.

The living wage is the hourly amount a family needs to cover basic expenses. The calculation is based on a two-parent family with two children – the most common family unit in BC – with each parent working full-time. The Living Wage for Metro-Vancouver is $20.52 an hour.

Most children growing up in poverty in BC live with at least one adult working full-time, full year. In other words, child poverty in BC is very much a low-wage story. For most of the past decade, BC’s child-poverty rate has remained at one in five children living in poverty.

“We’re delighted that VPC has become a Living Wage Employer. We hope it encourages other landscape designers to join the Living Wage movement. Paying a living wage is good for workers, employers and the local community” said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families BC

Over the past two years, the number of Living Wage Employers in BC has more than doubled – there are now 350 Living Wage Employers in BC.

Employers have found paying a living wage to be a key tool in their post-Covid economic recovery. 97% of Living Wage Employers in BC have found some benefit to being part of the program.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies.