Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: Labour: Wage Issues

  • Calculating Edmonton’s Living Wage: Other Family Types 2016 Update

    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. However, this is not the only family type represented in Edmonton; each family type will have a different living wage due mainly to differences in expenses and government transfers. We have also calculated the living wages for a lone parent family and a single adult. These calculations are based on BC’s “Calculation Guide” (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives).

    The 2016 living wage for lone parents is $18.15 per hour.

    The 2016 living wage for single adults is $17.81 per hour.

    For the main Edmonton Living Wage 2016 update, which includes a complete summary of the living wage, the case for a living wage, and written summaries of the calculations, please visit our website at edmontonsocialplanning.ca or use the direct link https://edmontonsocialplanning.ca/index.php/news/espc-news/265-more-than-minimum-calculating-edmonton-s-living-wage-2016-update.

    Download the Other Family Types Living Wage Report today.

    ESPC Documents/PUBLICATIONS/A.06.C RESEARCH UPDATES/2016LivingWageOtherFamilyTypesUpdate.pdf

  • Edmonton’s 2016 living wage: $16.69 per hour

    Edmonton’s 2016 living wage: $16.69 per hour

    Edmonton Social Planning Council releases annual report

    By: Alex Boyd Metro Published on Thu Jun 23 2016

    Two working adults living in the city with two kids would each have to make $16.69 an hour in order to make ends meet, according to the Edmonton Living Wage Report released Thursday.
    The Edmonton Social Planning Council calculates the living wage every year, using cost of living estimates for Edmonton. They also take into account dollars coming in from government transfers and additional costs like EI and CPP premiums.

    The living wage for 2016 is actually 67 cents less than last year, because of child benefit increases from both the federal and provincial governments.

    “Our hope is that more Edmonton employers will rise to the challenge and commit to paying a living wage to all their employees,” said ESPC Research Coordinator John Kolkman in a release.
    “Research indicates that employers paying a living wage benefit from decreased staff turnover, improved productivity and reduced absenteeism.”

    Read the whole article on the Metro.

    Download our Living wage report.

     

  • 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/

     

  • 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!

     

  • 2007 January Working Poor or Making a Living – The Reality of Low Wages in Alberta

    Title:Working poor or making a living?: the reality of low wages in Alberta.
    Author(s):Wickenheiser, Anette
    Corporate Author: Edmonton Social Planning Council
    Subject:Employment – wage issues|split|Poverty – planning, policy|split|Poverty – working poor|split|Social assistance – planning, policy|split|Social services – planning, policy
    Publisher:Alberta Federation of Labour
    Place of Publication:Edmonton
    Date of Publication:2007
    Language:English
    Material Type:Report

    H. LABOUR/H.06 WAGE ISSUES/2007 January Working Poor or Making a Living – The Reality of Low Wages in Alberta.pdf

  • Non profit calculates living wage

    630 CHED – July 1, 2015

    Click here to view the full article.