Families who work for low wages face impossible choices — buy food or heat the house, feed the children or pay the rent. The result can be spiraling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems. In many cases it means that the adults in the family are working long hours, often at two or three jobs, just to pay for basic necessities. They have little time to spend with their family, much less to help their children with school work or participate in community activities. The frustration of working harder only to fall further behind is one many BC residents can relate to.

Since the 2008 CCPA report ‘Working for a Living Wage’  the Living Wage rate for Metro Vancouver has been rising every year as living costs keep rising. The newly calculated 2012 living wage rate for Metro Vancouver stands at $19.14 per hour. The 2012 living wage sees a notable 33-cent increase over the 2011 Metro Vancouver living wage of $18.81/hour.

The jump is driven by big increases in shelter costs and child care fees, already the most expensive items of the family budget. Shelter costs rose by $76/month (or close to 6%), driven by soaring rents in Vancouver (up by $68/month) and modest increases in the cost of utilities and telephone. Child care fees took a big jump of $33/month, a 3 per cent increase. BC government provides child care subsidies for low-income parents, but rates have not increased since 2005. Finally, MSP premiums increased by 6 per cent a year over the last three years (and are slated to increase again in 2013).

However not all items on the budget rose, most notably transportation costs fell by $28/month (despite increases in car costs) due to the introduction of the universal U-Pass for students in all publicly funded post-secondary institutions in BC as of September 2010. This illustrates the important role of public programs in enhancing affordability. When public services are made more affordable, the living wage rate is moderated, easing the role of employers in ensuring that families can meet their core budgetary needs.

To read report please goes to: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/livingwage2012

On Tuesday April 25^thSchool District 69 (Parksville/Qualicum) unanimously passed the following motion to become the first School District in Canada to pass a Living Wage Policy.

‘THAT the Board of Education of School District 69 (Qualicum) establish and implement a Living Wage Policy that is tied to the hourly rate established annually using the Living Wage for Families calculation methodology; and, THAT the Living Wage Policy will apply to all School District employees (full-time, part-time and casual) and all service providers and contractor staff.’

Two companies, SAP Labs Canada and Briteweb, have recently been certified as Living Wage Employers, committing them to pay all their staff and contracted service staff a Living Wage. SAP is the world’s largest inter-enterprise software company and the world’s fourth-largest independent software supplier.  SAP Labs Canada, Vancouver is one of the largest development centers for Business Objects solutions, with more than 350 employees dedicated to product development. Briteweb is a boutique Interactive Design & Communication agency in Canada. They work with social ventures, culture creators & non-profits that help make the world a better place.
To find out how your organization can become a Living Wage Employer please go to http://www.lwemployers.ca/

The Sunshine Coast has recently published a sustainability plan called ‘We Envision: One Coast, Together in Nature, Culture and Community’. This plan sets outs a number strategies to help develop a sustainable future for the Sunshine Coast. As part of the plan the role that the living wage plays in securing sustainable communities is recognized.
 
‘In order to increase the number of full-time, living-wage jobs by 2020, we need to
• determine the living wage for the Sunshine Coast
• create inter-agency collaborations to gain commitment to living-wage jobs
• seek commitment from Sunshine Coast employers for living-wage terms of employment.’
 
To read more go to: http://www.onecoast.ca/

Revelstoke has joined the growing number of communities in BC that are exploring how living wages can reduce poverty in their community. Living Wages was the subject of a workshop and consultation on Thursday, March 15, organized by JillZacharias, Social Development Coordinator for the Revelstoke Community Social Development Committee, in partnership with Learning Initiatives for Rural and NorthernBC.

See http://www.revelstokecurrent.com/2012/03/19/is-it-time-to-discuss-a-living-wage-in-revelstoke/

The Living Wage for Families Campaign Organizer,Michael McCarthyFlynn, will be talking about the Living Wage at the following upcoming events:

- Early Childhood Educators of BC’s 41st annual conference:8.30am on May 5th, 2012 in theRadissonHotelVancouverAirport8181Cambie Road,Richmond,BC. See http://www.ecebc.ca/events/files/conference2012/ECEBC_Conf2012.pdf

- Cities Fit for Children 2012 ProvincialSummit: 10.30am Friday May 11, 2012,ThompsonRiversUniversity,900 McGill Road,Kamloops,BC. See http://www.kamloops.ca/citiesfitforchildren/pdfs/CF4C-ProgramGuide-04-23.pdf

 The Living Wage for Families Campaign has recently updated two resources to help employers and communities explore the living wage concept. Firstly we’ve updated our living wage calculator to take account of the new living wage number in Metro Vancouver for 2012 and also altered its design to make it more user friendly – see- http://livingwageforfamilies.ca/calculator/

Secondly we’ve produced a Municipal Living Wage Toolkit for any community considering passing a Living Wage Policy in their City or School Board. It covers all the questions you may have about what is involved and even includes a copy of the city ofNew Westminster’s Living Wage Policy. See http://firstcallbc.org/pdfs/lw/municipal%20toolkit.pdf

 An article in the current edition of ‘Our Times’ by Mae Burrows and Donald Gutstein challenges all Unions in Canada to become Living Wage Employers by the end of the year. The HEU and BCTF have already been certified as Living Wage Employers with many others exploring the idea. See http://ourtimes.ca/Newsletter/mae_and_don_s_living_wage_commentary_in_our_times.pdf

(SFU) Living Wage Campaign: The Living Wage for Families Campaign, in conjunction with our partners in Simon Fraser University (SFU) , are surveying low-wage workers on campus to highlight their working conditions and to hear their stories of trying to live on their current income. Simon Fraser University (SFU) is one of the largest and most important Universities in Canada. Yet many people working on campus, such as food service workers, cleaners and research assistants are not paid a living wage; that is a wage to cover their families’ basic expenses. If you know anyone who is working in a low wage job in SFU who would be interested in taking part in this survey please let Michael know (at 604.873.8437 or info@livingwageforfamilies.ca) or ask them to fill out an online version of our survey at MAPPING LOW PAY IN SFU.
 
Living Wage UVic: The Living Wage Campaign at the University of Victoria (UVic) is seeking to raise awareness about the cost of Living in Victoria and the wages of UVic grad students. Many grad students who work as teaching assistants, sessional instructors and research assistants aren’t paid a Living Wage. Without these workers the University would not be able to function. To find out more click onto http://livingwageuvic.ca/

The Living Wage for Families Campaign, in partnership with Little Mountain Neighbourhood House and Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, is running  2 ‘listening circles’ for low wage parents in April and May.  This project will allow low-wage parents an opportunity to tell their stories of how poverty and low wages affects their lives, especially how it affects the lives of their children and families.  It will give them an opportunity away from their busy schedules and often isolated circumstances, to reflect on the wider reasons for their situation and give them space to collectively develop solutions that address these issues. If you know anyone who may be interested in getting involved in either listening circle please click below for more information on:
Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House listening circle
Little Mountain Neighbourhood House listening circle

Eclipse Awards was recently confirmed as the Best Employer in BC at a gala awards ceremony hosted byGlobalBC’s Aaron McArthur and Canuck legend TrevorLinden. Organized by BC Small Business, the event was the culmination of a province-wide contest that recognizes and celebrates the important contributions of BC’s entrepreneurs to their local communities and the wider global economy. Eclipse Awards was one of the first businesses to become a living wage employer. To find out how to become a living wage employer go to http://www.lwemployers.ca/

 After months of behind-the-scenes work, the Kingston Community Roundtable on Poverty Reduction launched its Living Wage report. This report calculates a living wage at forKingstonto be $16.29. The report also reveals that almost 35,000 people inKingstonearn less than the annualized equivalent of minimum wage. Sixteen per cent live below the poverty line and 13 per cent are identified as working poor. The problem is compounded byKingston’s tight housing market, in which there is a growing waiting list for social housing, rents and home prices are soaring and the vacancy rate hovers at just one per cent. The authors of the report conclude: “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that all families inKingstonhave the resources that are necessary to raise their children, stay healthy, and fully participate in social and community life. Fighting for a living wage in our community labour market is an important step toward that goal.” For more see:   http://www.livingwagekingston.ca/

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Ontario%20Office/2011/10/Kingston%20Living%20Wage.pdf

It is a sad irony that many of the people working in the social services sector assisting those living in poverty or providing essetial social services are themselves not paid a living wage. Please see below the following two stories about social service workers in BC and Ottawa fighting for a living wage: http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/02/27/Social-Service-Workers/?utm_source=mondayheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=270212
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/City+must+intervene+Salvation+Army/6282722/story.html 

A good citizen of New Westminster has brought to the attention of the authorities a possible violation of New Westminster’s Living Wage Policy. The City is currently investigating the contractor to ensure that they are fully compliant. On Jan. 1, 2011, the City of New Westminster became a living wage employer, which requires all firms that are contracted directly or indirectly by the city to provide services on city premises to pay their employees a living wage. For more details see this article in the Royal City Record.

The Canadian Cancer Society – BC and Yukon Division’s has become the most recent organization to become a certified Living Wage Employer. This certification will especially effect contracted cleaning, janitorial and catering staff working in the four Cancer Society’s Lodges around the province.

The SD 69 Living Wage campaign continues to raise the issue of the positive possibilities of adopting the living wage in Parksville/Qualicum, as outlined in this recent piece in the Parksville Qualicum news.

The City of North Vancouver will continue to explore the possibility of becoming a “living wage employer,” despite both of the North Shore’s other municipalities expressing no interest in the idea. The City recently voted to research the potential of a living wage policy for the City following a motion by Councillor Craig Keating. Read more in this North Shore News Article.

 In December, the HEU Living Wage Campaign launched a mini-tour of HEU work sites in the Lower Mainland, encouraging members covered by independent contracts to express what a living wage would mean to them. Living wage activists brought the Living Tree for Living Wages to Surrey Memorial, Children’s and Women’s, Vancouver General and Lions Gate hospitals.  They invited low-income workers to decorate a holiday tag and to place on the tree  their messages about what a living wage would mean to them. HEU Provincial Executive member Louella Vincent, who is part of the union’s living wage working group, donned a Christmas tree costume and let members post their message tags on her for all to read.

The photo includes Vincent, along with HEU member Paula Mann and HEU Living Wage Campaign advisor Priti Shah.