Vancouver, BC

21 January 2026

Following the vote of City of Vancouver Council to not recertify as a Living Wage Employer, Anastasia French, Managing Director, Living Wage BC issued the following statement:

“It’s vital that anyone working on behalf of the City of Vancouver can afford to live in Vancouver. It is disappointing that the City of Vancouver have voted again to not pay their workers a living wage.

The City of Vancouver’s “fair wage”, is not fair for workers. The Living Wage reflects how much you need to earn right now to pay for basic essentials.  Workers across the city are struggling to pay for the cost of essentials right now, not the cost of rent or food averaged out from 5 years ago.

This decision meant that hundreds of city workers and contractors – doing vital work like cleaning, stacking shelves in the library and, keeping us safe as security guards - are not guaranteed an income that means they can pay for rent, food, and other essentials.

We’re grateful for the hundreds of employers across BC, including the Cities of Burnaby, Port Coquitlam and Victoria, that have committed to pay their staff the actual Living Wage. These employers have found that paying the living wage is good for workers, good for business and good for the local community", said Anastasia French.

The Living Wage is the hourly wage that an individual working full-time need to pay for rent, food and other essentials. It is a barebones calculation that does not include debt repayment or savings for retirement.

Background

• Certifying as a Living Wage Employer is a voluntary commitment employers make to invest in their communities and local economies. Organizations can certify as a Living Wage Employer if they commit to ensuring their direct staff and contracted workers earn a Living Wage. The living wage can be made up of base wage and other benefits they offer.
• There are nearly 500 Living Wage Employers across BC including YVR Airport, Vancity Credit Union and Modo. 9 municipalities are also certified Living Wage Employers – the District of Central Saanich, Village of Fruitvale the Cities of Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Quesnel and Victoria.
• The City of Vancouver became a Living Wage Employer in 2017.
• In 2023 the councillors voted to move away from paying the living wage and to pay a “fair wage” instead.

About Living Wage BC:
Living Wage BC certifies employers that pay a living wage to their staff and contractors. They also advocate for complementary government policies that would help families make ends meet and work with BC Policy Solutions to annually calculate the Living Wage for communities across BC.

Living Wage BC is a program of Vancity Community Foundation.

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For more information, please contact:

Anastasia French, Managing Director, Living Wage BC

[email protected]

236-558-2635