Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: Social Issues: Income

  • CM: How a Livable Income Impacts Mental Wellness

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    By Brett Lambert 

     

    The ability to make ends meet—which includes keeping a roof over one’s head, putting food on the table, and meeting other basic necessities—is integral for both a person’s physical and mental well-being. Whether a person’s primary source of income is from employment, or they are reliant on income support programs, everyone deserves a livable income that allows them to meet their needs, especially at a time when inflation is at an all-time high. 

    Research has shown that living in low-income is a risk factor for psychological distress. A Statistics Canada longitudinal study showed that lower incomes are significantly related to future episodes of psychological distress and that the everyday social environments of low-income Canadians were implicated in these health disparities. In addition, living in low-income means having fewer resources to cope with and mitigate these stressors. The presence of these stressors and the absence of supports have been linked to physical and mental disorders. (1) 

    If living in low-income has detrimental effects on a person’s mental health, will raising their income contribute to an improvement in mental health? The research seems to point to a resounding yes. 

    Increases to the minimum wage – which is the lowest hourly rate of pay allowed by law – has been linked with lowering suicide rates. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, the research showed that for every dollar added to the minimum wage, suicide rates among people with a high school education or less dropped by 3.4 to 5.9%. Among adults with levels of education above high school, there was no reduction in suicide rates because they would be less likely to work in lower-wage jobs. (2) 

    Within Alberta, there have been dramatic changes to the minimum wage within the last decade. Between 2015 to 2018, the minimum wage was raised incrementally each year from $10.20 per hour to eventually $15 per hour. (3) Workers who received a raise overall reported feeling more at ease with the greater financial stability. (4) With a change in government in 2019, the provincial government rolled back the minimum wage to $13 per hour for youth under the age of 18. This change to the minimum wage was particularly jeopardizing to the morale of marginalized youth striving to attain financial independence who may also be experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues. (5) 

    Improvements to mental health have also been linked to universal basic income—a government program that gives its citizens a set amount of money regularly to cover their living expenses with no strings attached. While basic income programs have largely been implemented regionally as pilot programs through the years, the results of these studies have shown that improvements to a population’s mental health are among the impacts of such a program. This included improved time with family and friends, a reduction in perceived stigma, and a renewed sense of hope for the future. (6) For the Ontario basic income pilot from 2018 specifically, 83% of respondents who took part in the pilot program reported feeling less stressed and anxious and 81% reported feeling more self-confident. (7) 

    Current income support programs in place within Alberta pay recipients below the poverty line, which is roughly defined as an annual income of $40,777 for a family of four or $20,289 for a single individual in Alberta. (8) For example, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)—which pay a maximum monthly benefit rate of $1,685 per month—does not keep pace with the cost of living. While the program is finally being re-indexed for inflation as of January 1, 2023 as a response to the price of essential goods becoming more expensive, AISH recipients are still having to catch up after more than three years of stagnant benefit rates. (9) When elected officials merely discuss making changes to the program—often to the detriment of current or future recipients—this has impacts on a recipient’s mental health. When the provincial government was considering re-evaluating eligibility for those with mental illness, recipients reported feeling their anxiety levels going up over the thought of losing their benefits. (10) 

    No matter the primary source of income people live on to make ends meet, it is clear that the amount they receive can either be a major stressor if it is inadequate or can alleviate a lot of pressure if their basic needs are met. Providing adequate and livable incomes will not necessarily solve all mental health challenges, but it will save lives. Any conversation on addressing mental health challenges needs to robustly consider the ways in which livable incomes and poverty intersect with this issue. 

     

    Note: This is an excerpt from our December 2022 Community Matters, you can read the full publication here

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    References 

    1. Orpana, H.M., L. Lemyre, and R. Gravel. Statistics Canada (2009). Income and psychological distress: The role of the social environment. Health Reports. Vol. 20, no. 1 (March 2009). Pp: 21- 28. Retrieved from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/82-003-x/2009001/article/10772-eng.pdf?st=A55AkkD2  
    2. Kaufman, J.A., Salas-Hernández, L.K., Komro, K.A., and Livingston, M.D. (2020). Effects of increased minimum wages by unemployment rate on suicide in the USA. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. Vol. 70, no. 3. Pp. 219-224. https://jech.bmj.com/content/74/3/219  
    3. Government of Alberta (2020). Minimum wage expert panel. Retrieved from: https://www.alberta.ca/minimum-wage-expert-panel.aspx  
    4. Issawi, H. and Doherty, B. (2018). Alberta’s minimum-wage workers tell us what $15 an hour really means for their bottom line. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2018/09/30/paid-in-full-albertas-low-wage-workers-mull-over-the-final-pay-bump.html  
    5. Wyton, M. (2019). ‘Difficult realities’: Vulnerable youth left in lurch by UCP cut to minimum wage, advocates say. Retrieved from: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/vulnerable-youth-left-in-lurch-of-uncertain-pay-following-ucp-cuts-to-youth-minimum-wage  
    6. Wilson, N. and McDaid, S. (2021). The mental health effects of a Universal Basic Income: A synthesis of the evidence from previous pilots. Social Science & Medicine. Volume 287. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953621007061  
    7. Ferdosi, M., McDowell, T., Lewchuk, W., and Ross, S. (2020). Southern Ontario’s Basic Income Experience. Retrieved from: https://labourstudies.mcmaster.ca/documents/southern-ontarios-basic-income-experience.pdf  
    8. Canada. Employment and Social Development Canada (2018). Opportunity for All: Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/poverty-reduction/reports/strategy.html  
    9. Tran, P. (2022). Alberta’s government benefit programs to be re-indexed starting next year. Retrieved from: https://globalnews.ca/news/9309545/alberta-premier-danielle-smith-reindexing-aish/  
    10. Fletcher, R. (2020). What it’s like living on AISH while the government spars over its future. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-assured-income-for-the-severely-handicapped-feature-1.5752665  

                     

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                    1. Statement on Danielle Smith’s Affordability Measures

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                      The Edmonton Social Planning Council is cautiously optimistic after hearing the announcement from Premier Danielle Smith’s televised address to the province on November 22, 2022 on a suite of affordability measures to help low-income individuals and families address the rising cost of living due to the effects of inflation.

                      We are particularly heartened to hear that several income support and benefit programs including AISH, PDD, the Alberta Seniors Benefit, and the Alberta Child and Family Benefit will be re-indexed for inflation, which was originally paused in 2019. While these measures are welcome news for many families living pay cheque to pay cheque, the prior freezing of these benefit payment rates has meant a lot of ground has been lost and it will take a lot of time to properly catch up.

                      Missing from this announcement is indexing of the minimum wage. The current minimum wage of $15 per hour has been frozen since 2018 and falls short of being a living wage, which has been calculated by the Edmonton Social Planning Council to be at $21.40 per hour in Edmonton. Throughout the province, the Alberta Living Wage Network has calculated the living wage in various Alberta municipalities show it can range from $17.50 in Medicine Hat and $32.75 in Canmore. Other cities are somewhere in between those two extremes. All of these living wage calculations are above the current minimum wage and this gap needs to be addressed.

                      We will continue to monitor these and other affordability measures to ensure it is positively impacting the lives of low-income Albertans.

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                    2. Edmonton Living Wage 2022 Update

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                      A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live with dignity and participate in their community. A living wage is defined as the hourly wage that a primary income earner must make to provide for themselves, their families, and reach basic financial security. It allows for a higher standard of living than what is included in the Market Basket Measure, which is based on subsistence living. It includes child care, allowance for one parent to attend school, extended health and dental plans, and a minor emergency contingency fund. However, it does not include items that would allow families to “get ahead”, such as putting away savings or paying down debt.

                      This is the seventh year that the Edmonton Social Planning Council has calculated Edmonton’s living wage. It is based on the Canadian Living Wage Framework (2015) created by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

                      Beginning in 2018, ESPC partnered with several organizations and municipalities across Alberta to create the Alberta Living Wage Network. ESPC has decided to adjust its methodologies to remain consistent with the Alberta Living Wage Network.

                      [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][3d-flip-book mode=”thumbnail-lightbox” id=”166003″ title=”true”][/3d-flip-book]

                      Click on image to view online.

                      [/et_pb_code][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″ locked=”off”][automatic_youtube_gallery type=”video” video=”HGq47C6CZ3E” pagination_type=”more” autoplay=”0″][/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,3_4″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/630-Ched-Jlyn-Nye-Graphic-150×150.png” title_text=”630 Ched Jlyn Nye Graphic” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.1″ _module_preset=”default” link_option_url=”https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-report-suggests-albertas-living-wage-is-higher/id970538446?i=1000586494966″ link_option_url_new_window=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]

                      New report suggests Alberta’s living wage is higher than the minimum wage

                      630 CHED Afternoons with J’lyn Nye

                      Guest: Susan Morrissey, Executive Director, Edmonton Social Planning Council

                      [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

                    3. DYK: Single Adults & Financial Barriers

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                      Welcome to our monthly publication of Did You Know?, where we share themed infographics with the community. We hope you’ll learn something new and be able to share this information. This month’s theme is Single Adults and Financial Barriers, taking a snapshot of childcare costs, income, social assistance and the labour force.

                      [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

                    4. Community Matters (July 2022) — Community Safety

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                      Note: This is excerpted from the July 2022 edition of our Community Matters publication. 

                      Welcome to the second issue of our new quarterly publication, Community Matters.

                      As with our inaugural issue in March 2022, Community Matters aims to inform the community about social issues that impact citizens and connect the dots between social issues, evidence, and policy. We aim to use this space to give a voice to local agencies, ESPC volunteer writers, and staff members alike.

                      Each edition will spotlight a specific social issue and demonstrate the intersectional nature and impact on equality. Our goal is to use evidence as we continue to inform on the issues affecting individuals and families.

                      While our first issue focused on gender (in)equity, this issue will focus on community safety.

                      Community safety has many components and facets. Safety can be defined and experienced differently by each community and each person’s unique lived experience. Many think community safety means responding to crimes and social disorders through policing and the criminal justice system, the dialogue needs to be even more broadly focused on preventative measures and promoting social cohesion.

                      When discussing community safety, we need to frame the conversation around promoting a community that is inclusive to everyone, especially those who are marginalized. If we center the conversation exclusively to the concerns of dominant or privileged groups, we run the risk of further endangering or marginalizing those who have already been struggling.

                      Crime in Chinatown, safety concerns at Edmonton transit facilities, hate-motivated crimes against Black and Muslim women, and the alarming rates of lives lost due to drug overdoses and poisoning are in part tied to the still unresolved social problems such as affordable housing challenges and the rise of homelessness, the closure of safe consumption sites, untreated mental health and trauma, food insecurity, income inequality, systemic racism, gender inequity, and more. A failure to meaningfully address these issues will only exacerbate wider community safety concerns and the incidences of crime.

                      A community that addresses everyone’s basic needs and supports, will reduce the number of incidences where police response is necessary. Community safety can be fostered and supported through relationships and connectivity.

                      With this issue of Community Matters, we hope to play a part in shifting this mindset and amplifying the voices of those who felt very much unsafe, excluded or isolated in their own communities for quite some time. This edition includes topics surrounding areas of School Resources Officers, Universal Basic Income, Edmonton Indigenous Court, and Food Insecurity; we have input from organizations and agencies like Bear Clan, Community Outreach Transit Team, Neighbourhood Empowerment Team, Boyle MacCauley Health Centre and The Pride Centre. We invite readers to delve deeper into these topics.

                      We hope this endeavour broadens the conversation and helps spark positive social change amid a truly challenging period for our city.

                      – Susan Morrissey, Executive Director

                      [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|20px|0px|20px|false|false” border_color_left=”#a6c942″ global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial author=”Posted by:” job_title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9uIiwibGlua19kZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6ImF1dGhvcl93ZWJzaXRlIn19@” portrait_url=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfcHJvZmlsZV9waWN0dXJlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnt9fQ==@” quote_icon=”off” portrait_width=”125px” portrait_height=”125px” disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”job_title,portrait_url” _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ author_font=”||||||||” author_text_align=”center” author_text_color=”#008ac1″ position_font=”||||||||” position_text_color=”#000000″ company_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#ffffff” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|0px|4px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”32px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_text_align=”left” header_text_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.65)” header_font_size=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||50px|||” custom_padding=”48px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9jYXRlZ29yaWVzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiUmVsYXRlZCBjYXRlZ29yaWVzOiAgIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6ImNhdGVnb3J5In19@[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
                    5. Edmonton Living Wage 2021 Update

                      Edmonton Living Wage 2021 Update

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                      A living wage is rooted in the belief that individuals and families should not just survive, but live with dignity and participate in their community. A living wage is defined as the hourly wage that a primary income earner must make to provide for themselves, their families, and reach basic financial security. It allows for a higher standard of living than what is included in the Market Basket Measure, which is based on subsistence living. It includes child care, allowance for one parent to attend school, extended health and dental plans, and a minor emergency contingency fund. However, it does not include items that would allow families to “get ahead”, such as putting away savings or paying down debt.

                      This is the sixth year that the Edmonton Social Planning Council has calculated Edmonton’s living wage. It is based on the Canadian Living Wage Framework (2015) created by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

                      In 2021, ESPC adjusted its methods slightly. Beginning in 2018, ESPC partnered with several organizations and municipalities across Alberta to create the Alberta Living Wage Network. ESPC has decided to adjust its methodologies to remain consistent with the Alberta Living Wage Network.

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