The BCSLA has been a Certified Living Wage Employer since 2017. Living Wage Employers are responsible employers who care about their employees and community. Support the Living Wage for Families Campaign by giving certified Living Wage Employers your business.
In 2022 the living wage has increased across British Columbia due to significant increases in the cost of food and housing. The living wage has gone up to $24.08 an hour in Metro Vancouver for 2022—the highest increase since the living wage was first calculated in 2008 and significantly higher than the rate of inflation.
The living wage is the hourly wage that two parents working full-time need to earn to support a family of four. In Kelowna it is $4.39 (23.7 per cent) higher than last year’s rate of $18.49, in Victoria it is $3.83 (18.7 per cent) higher than last year’s $20.46 and in Metro Vancouver it is $3.56 (17.3 per cent) higher than last year’s $20.52.
This year the living wage has increased across BC in all of the communities where it has been calculated in the past and is driven by two essentials that every family needs: food and shelter.
The living wage is a bare-bones calculation that looks at the amount that a family of four needs to earn to meet their expenses. The living wage includes costs like rent and groceries as well as items like extended health care and two weeks savings for each adult. It does not include debt repayment or savings for future plans. To calculate the living wage rate, employers take into account their employees’ total wage plus benefits. If employees receive non-mandatory benefits, the living wage rate is reduced. BCSLA Members who are employers are encouraged to become a Living Wage Employer. Please visit here for details on how you can become a Living Wage Employer.
