The New Vancouver living wage for 2023 has been unveiled by the Living Wage for Families BC, showing a notable increase to $25.68 per hour from $24.08 in the previous year (2022).
This rate aims to provide a benchmark for wages that cover the basic costs of living in the Metro Vancouver area.
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Comparing Vancouver’s Living Wage with the Provincial Minimum Wage
Vancouver Living Wage: $25.68 per hour
Minimum Wage in BC: $16.75 per hour (effective June 1, 2023)
This significant difference of $8.93 between the living wage in Metro Vancouver and the general provincial minimum wage indicates a disparity in wages necessary for a decent standard of living.
Regional Variances in Living Wage Rates
The living wage varies across different regions in British Columbia. Here are some notable rates:
| Region | Living Wage Rate (per hour) |
| Metro Vancouver | $25.68 |
| Clayoquot Sound | $26.51 |
| Columbia Valley | $22.63 |
| Comox Valley | $22.02 |
| Cowichan Valley | $25.20 |
| Daajing Giids | $26.25 |
| Dawson Creek | $20.64 |
| Fraser Valley | $20.66 |
| Golden | $25.78 |
| Kamloops | $20.91 |
| Kelowna | $24.60 |
| Nanaimo | $22.87 |
| Nelson | $21.14 |
| Powell River | $25.06 |
| Prince George | $22.09 |
| Revelstoke | $24.60 |
| Sunshine Coast | $25.61 |
| Trail | $21.55 |
| Victoria | $25.40 |
Factors Considered in the Living Wage Calculation
The calculation of the living wage involves a comprehensive assessment of various essential expenses, such as:
- Housing: Rent or mortgage payments.
- Food: Costs associated with a healthy diet for a family.
- Childcare: Expenses related to childcare or early education.
- Transportation: Costs of commuting or vehicle-related expenses.
- Healthcare: Expenses not covered by provincial medical services.
- Phone & Internet: Communication-related costs.
- Clothing: Basic clothing needs.
- Education: Costs related to schooling or skill development.
Household Financial Challenges
A study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found that about one-third of families in Metro Vancouver with two parents don’t earn enough to cover their basic living expenses.
This shows how hard it is for families to manage their money in this area.
Minimum Wage in British Columbia
As of June 1, 2023, the minimum wage in British Columbia has been set at $16.75 per hour. The province announced that this wage would be subject to adjustments based on inflation going forward.
New Minimum Wage In 6 Canadian Provinces
Employers Committed to Paying the Living Wage
A range of employers in British Columbia is dedicated to ensuring their employees receive a living wage. Some of these socially responsible employers include:
Employers Committed to Paying the Living Wage
- Agility Technologies Corporation
- Arch Engineers
- Aunt Leah’s Place
- BC Moving and Storage LTD
- Bee’s Knees Garden and Landscape
- Briteweb
- Brood Care Inc.
- Central Park Farms
- Chandos Construction
- Computrol Fuel Systems Inc.
- DLP Electrical Ltd.
- East River Gardens
- Energy Network Services
- Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society
- Habetin Homes Ltd.
- Hi-Performance Distributors
- Hogan’s Alley Society
- Kontur Geotechnical Consultants Inc.
- Koome Urban Forestry Ltd.
- Lìonra Agency Inc
- McCuaig & Associates Engineering Ltd.
- Provincial Moving & Storage (2022) Ltd.
- Savage Society
- SES Consulting
- Signal West Contracting Ltd.
- Smart Investments & Insurance Services Ltd
- Sol-Mar Landscaping
- Stay Wild natural Health
- Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society
- Tectonic Architecture
- The Grounds Guys of Abbotsford
- The North Shore Restorative Justice Society
- United Way Southern Vancouver Island
- Uptown Moving
- WATSON Advisors Inc.
- 221A Artist Run Centre Society
- Allevato Quail & Roy
- ASPECT BC
- Bakau Consulting Inc.
- Bardel Entertainment Inc
- Bath Investments Ltd.
- BC Food & Beverage
- BC Society of Landscape Architects
- BCDHA/CDA Alliance
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley
- Blue Lime Property Maintenance Ltd.
- Brightside Community Homes Foundation
- British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
- British Columbia Non-Profit housing Association
- British Columbia Teachers’ Federation
- Burrard Podiatry
- Café Etico Inc.
- Capilano Students’ Union
- Carscadden Stokes McDonald Architects
- Catalyst Community Development Society
- City of Port Coquitlam
- City of Quesnel
- City of Victoria
- CityState Consulting Group
- Close to Home Organics Ltd.
- Coast Consignment
- CoDevelopment Canada Association
- Community Futures Boundary
- Community Social Planning Council
- CommunityPlus Care Ltd
- Comox Valley Senior Support
- Continuum Architecture Inc.
- Craine Projects Ltd.
- CTRS Solutions Limited
- CUFA BC
- CUPE BC
- Demolition Impossible Contracting Inc.
- Design Therapy Inc
- Discovery Inspections & Drain Doctors
- Dogwood
- Drawing Change
- Elemental Gardens
- ETHOS Career Management Group Ltd.
- Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC
- Froggy Pad Group Daycare
- Glen Valley Organic Farm
- Gnome and Gardens Organic Landcare
- Goodbye Graffiti Vancouver
- Grand Forks and District Public Library
- Green Island Builders
- Hakai Energy Solutions Inc
- Hastings Labour Law Office LLP
- Heart Lake Farm
- Home Spritz Inc.
- hua foundation
- Huberman Law Group
- Inform Planning
- Insight Specialty Consulting
- ISL Engineering and Land Services
- Jenkins Construction Ltd.
- Jillian Harris Design Inc
- Judy Stoyko Landscape Architecture
- Just Mechanical Ltd
- Khora Architecture + Interiors
- Kinsol Timber Systems LTD.
- LADR Landscape Architects Inc.
- Langara Faculty Association
- Local Practice Architecture + Design Ltd.
- Long Life Windows & Doors Ltd.
- Lover’s Tempo Design Inc
- Meadow Montessori School
- Metric Strategies
- MidSea Engineering Ltd.
- Mission Community Skills Centre
- Modern PURAIR Greater Vancouver
- MODUS Planning, Design & Engagement Inc.
- Music on Main Society
- Mustang Landscape & Design Ltd.
- Naturally Urban · Pet Store · To Your Dog
- Nickel Plate Nordic Centre
- Nikkei Ramen-ya
- Osoyoos Credit Union
- P.S. Pianos
- Pacific Community Resources Society
- Pacific Mattress Recycling Inc.
- PARC Communities Management Ltd.
- Parent Support Services Society
- Perkins & Will
- PFS Studio
- Pulpfiction Books
- Quality One Home Services
- Ralph’s Radio Ltd.
- Ratio Architecture Interior design +panning
- Reach CPA Inc
- Realize Strategies Co-operative
- Renewal Funds Management Company Ltd
- Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club
- RJS Construction Ltd
- Royal Printers Ltd.
- SAH Disaster Restoration Services Ltd.
- School District No.40 New Westminster
- SCY Society for Children and Youth of BC
- Second Harvest Canada
- SkyHive
- SLA Architects
- Stratascape Property Maintenance Inc
- studioHuB architects ltd.
- Summerland Credit Union
- Sun Porch Homes Ltd.
- Sunshine Coast Community Foundation
- The Jilly Box Inc
- The NOW Group
- The Yoga Outreach Society
- Trash City Garbage Removal Company Inc. DBA Goodbye Garbage
- Umbrella Property Services
- Umbrella Society
- United Way British Columbia
- Urban Arts Architecture Inc.
- Urban Solar Corp
- Vancouver & District Labour Council
- Vancouver Premier Contracting & Eco Property Maintenance
- West Coast Building Restoration Inc.
- West Coast Flotation Systems
- West Coast LEAF Association
- West Vancouver Community Foundation
- Worker Solidarity Network
- Zenith Commissioning Consulting Ltd.
- ZN Advisory Services Inc.
- SierraSil Health Inc.
- Wild Forager Catering
