Edmonton Social Planning Council

Category: **Digital Resources

  • Research Update August 2016

    The Edmonton Social Planning Council’s Research Review contains summaries of the latest social research publications. We keep up on your reading so you don’t have to.

    Inside this issue:

    “Bisexuality, poverty and mental health: A mixed method analysis” reviewed by Irene Kakai

    “Child Poverty and Family Structure during the Recession in Liberal English-speaking Welfare States” reviewed by Shion Aonuma

    “Rural Homelessness in Canada: Directions for Planning and Research” reviewed by Hanna Nash

    “Shrinking the Need for Homeless Shelter Spaces” reviewed by Maxwell Harrison

    “Why Some Children Come to School with ‘Baggage’: The Effects of Trauma Due to Poverty, Attachment Disruption and Disconnection on Social Skills and Relationships” reviewed by Penolopie David

    ESPC Documents/PUBLICATIONS/RU_August_2016.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/

     

  • 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

  • Research Update July 2016

    The Edmonton Social Planning Council’s Research Review contains summaries of the latest social research publications. We keep up on your reading so you don't have to.

    Inside this issue:

    “Apples to Apples: A Comparative Demographic Analysis of Homeless and Housed Youth in Canada” reviewed by Ahmed Yali

    “Community Voices: Insights on Social and Human services from People with Lived Experiences of Homelessness” reviewed by Natty Klimo

    “Equal Worth: Designing Effective Pay Equity Laws For Alberta” reviewed by Jacqueline Pelechytik

    “Homelessness among older people: Assessing strategies and frameworks across Canada” reviewed by Hanna Nash

    Shameful Neglect: Indigenous Child Poverty in Canada” reviewed by Manuel Escoto

    Download the July 2016 Research Update here.

  • Research Update July 2016

    The Edmonton Social Planning Council’s Research Review contains summaries of the latest social research publications. We keep up on your reading so you don’t have to.

    Inside this issue:

    “Apples to Apples: A Comparative Demographic Analysis of Homeless and Housed Youth in Canada” reviewed by Ahmed Yali

    “Community Voices: Insights on Social and Human services from People with Lived Experiences of Homelessness” reviewed by Natty Klimo

    “Equal Worth: Designing Effective Pay Equity Laws For Alberta” reviewed by Jacqueline Pelechytik

    “Homelessness among older people: Assessing strategies and frameworks across Canada” reviewed by Hanna Nash

    “Shameful Neglect: Indigenous Child Poverty in Canada” reviewed by Manuel Escoto

    ESPC Documents/RESEARCH UPDATES AND REVIEWS/ResearchUpdate_July2016.pdf