Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: **Resources: Social Issues:

  • Edmonton’s 2016 living wage calculated to be $16.69 per hour

    June 23, 2016
    For Immediate Release

    Edmonton’s 2016 living wage calculated to be $16.69 per hour

    The Edmonton Social Planning Council estimates that two working adults, caring for two children, would need to each earn $16.69 per hour in 2016 to meet their basic needs.

    The living wage is calculated using detailed financial accounting based on actual Edmonton living costs with government transfers added in, and EI and CPP premiums and federal and provincial income taxes deducted.

    Edmonton’s living wage dropped by $0.67 per hour in the past year. The decrease is almost entirely due to increases in benefits from the federal and provincial governments.

    “Starting in July 2016, this Edmonton family of four will receive an additional $239 per month from the new Canada Child Benefit compared to the previous child benefits plan. This family will also receive an additional $44 per month starting in July from enhancements made to the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit,” said ESPC Research Coordinator John Kolkman.

    While a minimum wage reflects the hourly wage employers must legally pay their employees, a living wage represents the hourly wage needed to maintain a modest standard of living in a specific community.

    “With the significant increases in child benefits contributing to a reduced level of living wage, our hope is that more Edmonton employers will rise to the challenge and commit to paying a living wage to all their employees. Research indicates that employers paying a living wage benefit from decreased staff turnover, improved productivity and reduced absenteeism,” noted Kolkman.

    The City of Edmonton’s End Poverty in Edmonton report specifically lists advocating for living wages for Edmontonians as a priority. “In the coming year, we plan to work with the City and community partners to recognize employers who provide living wages, and challenge others to do so as well,” Kolkman concluded.

    For more information:
    John Kolkman, ESPC Research Coordinator
    (587)989-4442
    jkolkman@edmontonsocialplanning.ca

    More than Minimum: Edmonton's Living Wage Report: 2016 Update, and a fACT Sheet on the minimum wage, are available at https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/.

    Information about living wage calculations in other Canadian cities available at: http://www.livingwagecanada.ca/

     

  • More than Minimum: Edmonton’s Living Wage Report: 2016 Update

    The living wage is meant to provide families with basic economic stability and maintain a modest standard of living.The living wage, unlike the minimum wage, is the actual amount that earners need to make to be able to live in a specific community.

    The 2016 living wage for Edmonton is $16.69 per hour. This is the amount that a family of four with two parents who work full-time require to live in economic stability and maintain a modest standard of living. This includes being able to afford basic necessities (food, shelter, utilities, clothing, transportation, etc.), to support healthy child development, to avoid financial stress, and to participate in their communities.

    The living wage for Edmonton was first calculated in 2015. Each year the living wage is updated to reflect social and economic changes. Since last year, Edmonton’s living wage rate dropped by $0.67. The drop in the living wage is due to changes in government taxes and transfers, particularly in increased benefits through the new Canada Child Benefit (CCB) as well as the Enhanced Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit (AFETC).

    Moving forward, the ESPC hopes to work alongside stakeholders and community partners, including the City of Edmonton, to begin the process of formally recognizing living wage employers.

    F. SOCIAL ISSUES/F.04 POVERTY/EdmontonLivingWageReport2016.pdf

  • fACT Sheet—Minimum Wage

    What is minimum wage? Who works at minimum wage? What effect does a raise in minimum wage have on employers? Employees? What's up with the magic number of $15/h? And, what's the difference between a living wage and a minimum wage? All this and more in our latest fACT Sheet!

    Download the Minimum Wage fACT Sheet today!

     

  • 2009 Quebec Early Childhood

     

    Title:What a difference a decade makes: counting the benefits of investment in early childhood development in Quebec.
    Author(s):Japel, Christa
    Citation:Paediatrics & Child, Vol. 14 No. 10, December 2009
    Subject:Children – services, planning|split|Child care – Canada
    Publisher:Canadian Paediatric Society
    Place of Publication:Montréal
    Date of Publication:2009
    Abstract:

    Child care services in Quebec have undergone a major transformation since 1997, when the government adopted its new family policy. One of the linchpins of this innovative policy was the setting up of a network of fixed-fee services for all children aged five years and younger, irrespective of family income. The network was intended to address the issue of work-family balance and to provide children, no matter what the financial status of their parents, with a preschool environment that fosters their social, emotional and cognitive development, and prepares them for entry into the school system.
    More than 10 years later, what benefits can we detect from this investment in early childhood education and care? First, we observe a sharp rise in the number of children in regulated child care. There is also evidence that this attendance is having beneficial effects on the behaviour and cognitive development of the children. These benefits are particularly evident among vulnerable children. Second, available and affordable child care accompanied by a generous parental leave program my have had an impact on Quebec’s demographic profile: compared with the other provinces, Quebec has had the largest increase in its birth rate of the past five years. Furthermore, families have greatly benefited from Quebec’s child care model: the increased availability of spaces has facilitated mothers’ attendance at an educational institution or return to work.

    Language:English
    Material Type:Article

    F. SOCIAL ISSUES/F.07 CHILDREN/2009 quebec_early_childhood.pdf

  • 2009 Safe Haven Workshop

     

    Title:Safe haven workshop: enhancing accessibility in Alberta’s women’s shelters.
    Corporate Author: Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
    Subject:Women – programs, services|split|Disabilities – physical, mental – general|split|Housing – temporary, emergency, homelessness
    Publisher:Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities
    Place of Publication:Edmonton
    Date of Publication:2009
    Abstract:

    Why are women with disabilities under-represented at women’s shelters? Some of the barriers to accessing shelter services are practical, measurable limitations such as insufficient access to transportation, an inability to enter a building by wheelchair, or a lack of alternatives to print materials. However, the women we spoke to when conducting our research said that attitudinal barriers and a lack of understanding were the most significant obstacles they encountered when accessing shelter services.
    This workshop aims to address these concerns by raising awareness among women’s shelters’ staff members and management regarding the unique situations faced by women with disabilities who seek their services. Workers need to understand why women with disabilities are vulnerable, how they can adapt their approaches to meet the needs of these women, and how to support them in appropriate and respectful ways.

    Language:English
    Material Type:Report

    F. SOCIAL ISSUES/F.10 WOMEN/2009 safe_haven_workshop.pdf

  • 2009 CYA Review

    Title:Review of child and youth advocacy in Alberta
    Corporate Author: Government of Alberta
    Subject:Children – child welfare system
    Publisher:Government of Alberta
    Place of Publication:Edmonton
    Date of Publication:2009
    Abstract:

    Alberta is deeply committed to effective individual advocacy as an integral link in a chain of services and supports that together lead to strengthened outcomes for children and youth receiving child welfare services in Alberta. In the context of a transformation towards outcome-focused development and delivery of child welfare services, and strengthened governance and accountability, Alberta is considered by many other jurisdictions as a forerunner in providing innovative child welfare services. However, this is balanced by an understanding that not all children and youth have optimal outcomes, and a continual focus on improvement is fundamentally important. This review represents an opportunity to build on the strengths of the current system to ensure the system is transparent and accountable with a focus on improving outcomes for children and youth in Alberta.
    This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Alberta Child and Youth Advocacy Review Committee. It balances “what we heard” from a range of stakeholders with observations of the Committee, including a particular emphasis on voices from youth with experience with child welfare services in Alberta. Practices and models were examined from other jurisdictions.
    The recommendations in this report represent a solution that is designed for Alberta culminating in a vision for strengthened child and youth advocacy in Alberta.

    Language:English
    Material Type:Report

    F. SOCIAL ISSUES/F.08 CHILD CARE/2009 cya_review.pdf