Calgary's living wage just hit a new high at more than $23/hour

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The amount of money you need to earn to live modestly in Calgary has once again increased.

According to new numbers from Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) in collaboration with the Alberta Living Wage Network, the living wage in the city is now $23.70 per hour.

The wage has increased by $1.30 over the last year — even after new affordability measures introduced by the federal and provincial governments were incorporated into the calculation.

That’s a far cry from the current minimum wage in Alberta, which sits at $15/hour and hasn’t been raised since 2018.

If you’re wondering what a living wage is or how it’s calculated, the groups involved say it is defined as “the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and have a modest standard of living once government transfers have been added and taxes have been subtracted.”

“The calculation is based on the income needs of three household types: a two-parent family with two young children; a lone-parent family with one child; and a single individual,” reads a release.

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Alberta Living Wage Network

The wage assumes each adult is working full-time hours, with the VCC adding Calgary has seen a crisis in affordability this past year.

“This year we have faced affordability challenges like nothing I’ve seen in my career,” says Meaghon Reid, executive director of Vibrant Communities Calgary. “We have more than a hundred thousand people on the brink of losing their shelter and many people making trade-offs that they never thought they would have to make. But we also saw that the government’s affordability payments made a difference – albeit temporarily. It’s time for longer-term action that will help people right now.”

The Alberta Living Wage Network says it’s clear wages are not keeping up. “For instance, since September 2013, food prices have increased by almost 41% while average hourly wages have only increased by 24%. That’s a huge gap!”

Living wage around Alberta

Calgary is one of the more expensive cities on the list, sitting slightly below Fort McMurray and St-Albert but a far cry away from the most expensive spot – Canmore. You would need to make $38.80 an hour to live comfortably in the mountain town.

Alberta Living Wage Network

Medicine Hat is at the bottom of the list, with people needing to make $17.35/hour to live modestly.

Here are the living wages across Alberta:

Brooks: $19.05
Calgary: $23.70
Canmore: $38.80
Drayton Valley: $19.55
Edmonton: $22.25
Fort McMurray: $24.50
Grande Prairie: $18.90
High River: $21.70
Jasper: $24.90
Lac La Biche County: $21.60
Lethbridge: $20.60
Medicine Hat: $17.35
Red Deer: $18.75
Spruce Grove: $21.00
St. Albert: $23.80
Stony Plain: $21.10