The living wage in Edmonton has dropped but it's still higher than minimum wage
According to a new report, Edmonton’s living wage has decreased over the last year; however, it remains higher than Alberta’s $15-an-hour minimum wage.
The 2024 Living Wage report, released today by the Edmonton Social Planning Council and the Alberta Living Wage Network, calculates the city’s living wage at $20.85 per hour — a $1.40 drop over last year.
Lower expenses, including reduced childcare costs through subsidies such as $10 per day childcare, a cap on regulated electricity rates, and changes in clothing expenses, helped to ease financial pressures on Edmontonians, the report said.
“Relief from affordability measures like reduced childcare and electricity costs is a positive sign,” said Vanessa Zembal, interim executive director of the Edmonton Social Planning Council.
“But our minimum wage still lags behind the living wage, and more action is needed to bridge that gap.”
A living wage is defined as the hourly wage a worker needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and maintain a modest standard of living after adding government transfers and subtracting taxes.
The calculation considers three household types: a two-parent family with two children, a one-parent family with one child, and a single person working full-time.
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While every other province and territory saw an increase in the minimum wage this year, Alberta’s last increase came on October 1, 2018.
The province’s $15-an-hour minimum wage was once the highest in Canada but is now tied with Saskatchewan as the lowest.
Minimum wage jobs are vital to the workforce, as they provide staffing for businesses and services that operate during daytime hours when students are typically in classrooms.
The full living wage report can be found here.