Making a residing wage in some Alberta communities is easer than in others, based on a brand new report.
On Monday, the Alberta Living Wage Network (ALWN) launched its first-ever report highlighting 12 communities throughout the province.
“Residing wage for communities is actually the greenback worth that any person must be paid in an effort to cowl the bills that they’ve,” defined Janelle Marietta, the manager director of United Approach of Lethbridge and South Western Alberta.
The brand new report confirmed the bottom residing wage to be in Strathcona County at $16.80/hour, whereas the very best was almost $20 larger in Canmore at $36.40/hour.
Calgary and Edmonton noticed comparable metrics to 1 one other at $18.60/hour and $18.10/hour, respectively.
“It’s essential to notice that the (residing wage) that’s been introduced throughout Alberta is predominantly primarily based off a two-parent, two-child family,” Marietta defined. “Lethbridge and Rocky Mountain Home specifically are literally fairly a bit decrease for the household dynamics once we do these calculations.
“We are able to see $15/hour is actually assembly the necessity of Lethbridge group members once they’re residing within the dynamic of two-parent family(s).”
Marietta defined that as a consequence of Lethbridge’s excessive inhabitants of people residing alone, that issue was thought of for town through the ALWN calculations.
This bumped Lethbridge’s residing wage as much as $19.00/hour, when minimal wage did in-fact suffice for the aforementioned household setting, along with sure helps.
“Lethbridge is definitely actually reasonably priced.”
“We’re definitely a bit of decrease price of residing in Lethbridge, which helps the flexibility of households to take part in group life,” stated Sharon Yanicki with the Social Well being Fairness Community of Lethbridge and Space.
Each Marietta and Yanicki are members of the Alberta Residing Wage Council.
Yanicki defined advantages can come up for employers by paying their employees a residing wage, together with boosts in productiveness.
“One of many advantages (if you happen to) pay a residing wage (is) you’re extra more likely to have longer retention of your workers and fewer turnover,” she defined.
“Due to that, it saves the employer prices long-term when it comes to recruitment.”
Compared to the opposite communities, Lethbridge was discovered to offer very reasonably priced childcare, whereas prices for meals and housing have been on the rise.
Marietta stated issues are trying up with regards to assembly a residing wage within the metropolis.
“We found by this course of (that) about 4,600 vacant positions which can be open proper now in Lethbridge, (and the) common wage charge for these positions is definitely $21.45,” Marietta stated.
“We’re excited to see that the $19/hour ask shouldn’t be an enormous ask, it’s truly actually similar to what’s being supplied in the neighborhood now, so Lethbridge is doing a very good job.”
Minimum wage for Albertans 18 years of age and older has been $15/hour since Oct. 1, 2018, whereas minimal wage for college students below 18 has been $13/hour since June 26, 2019.
Alberta has the fifth-highest minimal wage in Canada for adults, behind Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Yukon and British Columbia.
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