Living Wage

What is a Living Wage?

The Fraser Valley Living Wage is $17.02/hour

Living Wage is the basic hourly wage required for a family of four with both parents working full-time year-round to meet basic needs and maintain a decent standard of living. Based on the actual costs of living in a given community, Living Wage provides a basic level of economic security, but still represents a conservative, bare bones budget. The Fraser Valley’s Living Wage was calculated based on the premise of social and economic inclusion for all.

Living Wage allows Fraser Valley residents to:

  • Meet basic needs
  • Create safe home environments for themselves and their children
  • Maintain decent standards of living
  • Participate as equal members of society

Benefits of a Living Wage

How is the Living Wage Calculated?

Living Wage is calculated based on a bare bones budget for a healthy family of four with two children aged 4 and 7 and each parent working 35hrs/week and 52wks/year. At a Living Wage, this family can meet its basic expenses once government transfers have been added and government deductions and taxes have been subtracted. 

*For details on the Living Wage Calculation see Living Wage Fraser Valley: 2014 Update

Living Wage allows Fraser Valley residents to:

A Fraser Valley family where both parents work full-time full-year at Living Wage rate would earn the amount required to meet their basic expenses at $61,953 annually. At B.C.’s minimum wage of $10.25, this same family would earn only $37,310 – less than two-thirds of the required amount and leaving them to barely surpass the 2011 low-income cut-off before tax of $37,283. 16% of Fraser Valley residents, including 5,450 children under 18, fall below the Low Income Measure After Tax (LIM-AT). Over one in four (28%) families with two children fall below a Living Wage household income. Despite working full-time, a large number of Fraser Valley residents are currently earning much less than what is required to meet their basic needs and provide a decent standard of living for their families.

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