What Is a Living Wage in BC?

A living wage is the hourly rate a worker needs to earn to cover basic costs like rent, food, transportation, and childcare in their community.

In British Columbia, the living wage reflects the real cost of living, helping workers and families move out of working poverty and into financial stability.

A living wage is the hourly rate a worker must earn to meet their basic expenses and participate fully in their community.

The living wage calculation is currently based on the weighted average of costs, government benefits and taxes for three different household types:

• A family of four with two full-time working parents and two children aged four and seven.
• A single parent with one four-year-old child.
• A single adult living alone.

The living wage varies across BC based on costs in each region.

Why the Living Wage Matters in British Columbia

Across BC, many people are working full-time but still struggle to make ends meet. This is known as working poverty.

• Afford basic necessities without financial stress
• Support their family and well-being
• Participate in community life
• Maintain stability and dignity

For employers, paying a living wage can improve retention, morale, and long-term stability.

How the Living Wage Is Calculated

The living wage is based on real costs in each community. It includes:

• Housing and utilities
• Food
• Transportation
• Childcare
• Healthcare expenses
• Taxes and government transfers

It reflects a modest standard of living and does not include savings or debt repayment.

The living wage does not cover additional expenses such as:

• Debt repayment from credit cards, loans or other interest payments 
• Future savings for home ownership, retirement or children’s university education 
• Anything beyond minimal recreation, entertainment and holiday costs 
• Costs of caring for a disabled, seriously ill or elderly family member 

Living Wage Rates in BC

Living wage rates are calculated annually across British Columbia.

See Living Wage Rates in Your Community

Who Pays a Living Wage?

Living wage employers voluntarily commit to paying their staff and contracted workers a living wage. A living wage is an opportunity for employers to do better. A living wage calls on employers to meet a higher standard for their both staff and major contractors, to ensure that wages reflect the true costs of living in a community and that parents can earn what they need to support their families. More than 500 Living Wage Employers across BC agree and have certified with us.

Become a Living Wage Employer

Paying a living wage is one of the most effective ways to support workers and strengthen communities.

Become a Living Wage Employer

Metro Vancouver families face increasing child care and housing costs

The wage needed to cover the costs of raising a family in Metro Vancouver is virtually unchanged in the past year, however, child care and housing costs are major challenges for many families, a report released today finds.

The living wage is the calculation of the hourly wage that each of two working parents with two young children must earn to meet their basic expenses once government taxes, credits, deductions and subsidies are taken into account. The 2017 Metro Vancouver living wage is $20.62 per hour for each parent to meet basic expenses including rent, child care, food and transportation. This is a decrease of only two cents from 2016’s $20.64 per hour. 

(Vancouver - April 27, 2016) A report released today finds that the wage needed to cover the costs of raising a family in Metro Vancouver is $20.64 per hour. This is the 2016 Metro Vancouver living wage, the hourly wage that two working parents with two young children must earn to meet their basic expenses (including rent, child care, food and transportation), once government taxes, credits, deductions and subsidies have been taken into account. 

History of Living Wage BC

In 2006, Campaign 2000 initiated a two-year project called Addressing the Falling Fortunes of Young Children and their Families: A Community Building Approach. First Call Child and Youth Advocacy Society was the Vancouver partner for this project. This came out of their work on child poverty and recognizing how many poor children were living in homes where at least one parent was working full-time, full-year.

In spring 2007 the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) developed a research project to calculate living-wage baselines for Vancouver and Victoria. This joint research group included representatives from the University of BC's sociology department and Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria, SPARC BC, United Way of the Lower Mainland and the Hospital Employees' Union (HEU). In September 2008, First Call, the CCPA and the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria released their research report  Working for a Living Wage.

The Hospital Employees' Union launched its Living Wage Campaign in 2007 in part to address the poverty wages and unsafe working conditions for health care workers employed by multinational corporations that had secured multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded contracts to provide services in BC hospitals and long-term care homes.

In fall 2008 First Call, the CCPA-BC and HEU established a living wage advisory committee to oversee strategy, and in 2009, funds were raised to hire an organizer. With the guidance and support of the advisory committee members, the Living Wage for Families campaign developed a certification program that, over the following 14 years, certified hundreds of employers who committed to paying their direct staff and many contracted workers a living wage. In the fall of 2022, First Call ended their operation of the certification program and Vancity Community Foundation began operating it.

In 2023, the Living Wage program developed a new strategy to ensure that all workers in BC can thrive, not just survive. The strategy laid out their plan to advocate to create the conditions for workers to earn a Living Wage. The living wage has increased dramatically in recent years because of the increased cost of essentials like food and rent.

In 2024, Living Wage for Families rebranded as Living Wage BC, as a reflection that more workers, not just those with children, are struggling to pay the bills. 

Campaign successes

2010: The Living Wage Employer recognition process was established.  
2011: The City of New Westminster became the first municipality to certify as a Living Wage Employer.
2011: Vancity Credit Union signed on as a Living Wage Employer.
2011: The BC Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress conventions endorsed living wage campaigns by unions and labour councils and encouraged the support of the Living Wage for Families Campaign.
2015: Huu-ay-aht First Nation became the first First Nations government to become a Living Wage Employer.
2015: School District 69 - Qualicum became the first Board of Education in BC to certify as a Living Wage Employer. 
2016: The City of Port Coquitlam became a certified Living Wage Employer.
2017: The City of Vancouver became a certified Living Wage Employer.
2020: The cities of Victoria and Burnaby became certified Living Wage Employers.
2023: YVR became the first airport in Canada to become a Living Wage Employer
2022: Vancity Community Foundation assumes operations of a living wage employer certification program
2024: There are now 450 Living Wage Employers in British Columbia.

2026: There are now 500 Living Wage Employers in British Columbia. 

NEWS RELEASE

July 8, 2015

VANCOUVER – The Living Wage for Families Campaign and the Metro Vancouver Alliance congratulate the City of Vancouver for its commitment to become a Living Wage Employer.

NEWS RELEASE

July 3, 2015

VANCOUVER – Nine employers were certified as Living Wage Employers yesterday by the Living Wage for Families Campaign.

“Eight of the nine certified employers have fewer than 50 employees,” observes Deanna Ogle, the campaign organizer with the Living Wage for Families Campaign. “This demonstrates the strong  commitment and contribution of small businesses to the economic health of local communities.”

NEWS RELEASE

April 29, 2015

VANCOUVER – A report released today finds that the wage needed to cover the costs of raising a family in Metro Vancouver is $20.68 per hour.