2024 Living Wage Report – Living Wage BC & Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

The living wage in BC for 2024 was published yesterday by Living Wage BC and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. See the full report and the summary of the report. Below are key points from the report, as summarized by Living Wage BC: 

• In Metro-Vancouver, the Living Wage has increased to $27.05, this is a 5.3% increase on last year. The Living Wage varies considerably across BC, from $20.81 in Grand Forks to $28.09 in Whistler.
• The living wage has increased everywhere, driven by the rising costs of living, particularly in housing and food. Living wage rates in British Columbia vary significantly, primarily due to differences in housing costs and access to transportation.
• Government initiatives to help households absorb some of the cost increases, such as ongoing child care affordability improvements, the gradual roll-out of the new Canada Dental Health Plan and increases to key income-tested BC government benefits have helped to remove pressure from stretched family budgets. However, as the Living Wage rises, the value of benefits received by families, particularly the Affordable Child Care Benefit, begins to diminish.
• The gap between the living wage and the minimum wage is widening in Metro-Vancouver and many communities around BC. In Metro-Vancouver there is a nearly $10 gap between the living wage and the minimum wage.
• 97% of Living Wage Employers have benefitted from being part of the program, finding that it has lowered staff turnover and increased morale.