HALIFAX – The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and United Way Halifax say the current minimum wage of $10.60 per hour isn’t enough for people working in the city to survive.
The new living wage for Halifax was published in a report Monday.
“What we know is that employment is not always insurance against poverty,” said Christine Saulnier of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The report says in order to live comfortably in the city, people need to be paid $20.10 per hour, which is almost double the current minimum wage.
“There are so many people who are stressed for time because they’re trying to cobble together a couple of different jobs because it doesn’t pay enough for them to make ends meet at the end of the month,” said Saulnier.
The study combined experiences and expenses of people working in low wage jobs, taxes and money transfers from the government, such as childcare benefits, and the entire package of wages and benefits that employers provide.
United Way wanted to have a part in creating the report because it wanted to have the voices of the working people heard loud and clear, said Sue Lapierre of United Way Halifax.
“We wanted a really accurate picture of what it takes to live a good quality of life, we suspected that there was a gap between what most people were making and what the reality was,” she said.
Earning a living wage would make major differences for families and single, independent people working in the city and surrounding area. Saulnier said that they factored in elements like housing costs, childcare, food costs and social interactions into their budget.
“It’s about allowing families to fully participate fully in the community,” she said, adding that social interactions and community involvement help to lessen the stigma that surrounds low-income families.
For independent business owners in Halifax, however, having the minimum wage raised to a number even close to $20.10 could be detrimental.
Wendy Friedman owns Biscuit General Store and the Independent Mercantile Company. For her, higher wages could mean the end of her businesses.
“I would love to pay everyone who works for me that amount, it would be great, but honestly it’s not feasible, I mean the money isn’t there,” she said.
Friedman said having to pay her employees $20 per hour would mean having to increase the prices of her products or have fewer employees working in her stores.
“Maybe it means the cost of living in Halifax needs to be examined,” she said.
Though the study is not a recommendation for government to increase wages, it is designed to spark community conversations about what needs to change, and how to change it.
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