ABOUT
Living Wage Background
A living wage is not the same as the minimum wage, which is the legal minimum all employers must pay. The living wage sets a higher test – it reflects what earners in a family need to be paid based on the actual costs of living and being included in a specific community. The living wage is calculated as an evidence-based hourly rate at which a household can meet its basic needs, once government transfers have been added to the family’s income and deductions have been subtracted. Included in this calculation are food, shelter, clothing, transportation, communication, child care, private health insurance for prescription drugs and dental coverage, continuing education for adults to upgrade skills, and items that allow for fuller participation in society, such as birthday gifts, family leisure outings and local recreation.
“No matter the industry, all working people deserve a liveable wage. They are the reason why we are able to open the doors every day and we want to give back to them as much as we can. Beechwood wouldn’t be what it is today without our incredible staff and we want our compensation to reflect that.”
Taylor Book,
President, Beechwood Doughnuts
St. Catharines, Niagara Region
Calculating the Living Wage for Niagara 2021 Brief
Calculating the Cost of Living for Niagara 2021 Brief
Calculating the Living Wage for Niagara 2019 Brief
Calculating the Cost of Living for Niagara 2019 Brief
Calculating the Living Wage for Niagara 2018 Brief
Calculating the Cost of Living for Niagara 2018 Brief
Calculating the Cost of Living in Niagara 2017 Brief
Calculating the Living Wage for Niagara 2017 Brief
Calculating the Cost of Living in Niagara Region 2016 Brief
Calculating the Living Wage Niagara Region 2016 Brief
Precarious Employment: Understanding an Emerging Social Determinant of Health