Why paying a Living Wage matters at Happy Cities

In this short blog, Houssam Elokda, Managing Principal at Happy Cities, explains why they became a Living Wage Employer, and the benefits they’ve found from being part of the program.

Happy Cities is an urban planning, design, research, and engagement consultancy with offices in Vancouver and Halifax. We work with clients across Canada and beyond to create happier, healthier, more inclusive communities. We are a certified B Corp and Living Wage Employer. We have a team of 10 full-time employees, with additional part-time staff who support our project work.

We became officially certified as a Living Wage Employer in 2024 in B.C.; however, we have been paying living wages or higher to all staff for over six years.

Being a Living Wage Employer brings real, positive outcomes to our workplace.

Paying a living wage is a core part of our commitment to building happier, healthier, more inclusive communities. A living wage ensures that our team members can support themselves and their families and enjoy a high quality of life.

At Happy Cities, we also aim to support staff wellbeing through policies for flexible summer Fridays, parental leave, extended health benefits, paid time off, and more. We also offer an annual profit-sharing scheme for staff, with a long-term goal to become an employee-owned organization.

Paying a Living Wage doesn’t just benefit our team, it strengthens the local economy and helps families thrive. We’re proud to be part of a movement that’s making a difference across Metro Vancouver and beyond.

We encourage others to join us in becoming Living Wage Employers. Together, we can create a fairer, more sustainable future for everyone.

Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. There are now over 450 Living Wage Employers across BC.

The living wage is the hourly amount someone needs to earn to pay for basic essentials like food and rent, it doesn’t include paying off debt or saving for retirement. The Living Wage for Vancouver is now $27.85 an hour.

Find out more about Happy Cities on their website: https://happycities.com