B.C. will raise its minimum wage to $10.45 in September, a meagre increase of only 20 cents. In a Vancity Buzz poll, just over 60 per cent of readers believed the increase was not enough, but when you add it up, an extra 20 cents an hour can provide some handsome benefits.
Over the course of a year for a person living on a full-time minimum wage position (five days per week), the wage increase adds up to just over $400.
[am2_see_also]
Here is a lighthearted take on what you can do with your 20 cent minimum wage increase (not including taxes, unless noted otherwise):
1 Big Gulp from 7-Eleven
Cost: $1.49 each
Hours worked: 8 hours
1 Coffee Crisp from London Drugs
Cost: $1.29 each
Hours worked: 7 hours
1 litre of gas from Petro Canada
Cost: $1.179 per litre (gas station at Powell Street and McLean Drive)
Hours worked: 6 hours
1 Timbit from Tim Hortons
Cost: $0.25 each
Hours worked: 2 hours
1 goat through Oxfam Canada for a family living in a developing country
Cost: $50.00 per goat through Oxfam Canada
Hours worked: 250 hours (32 full-time workdays)
1 pay phone call
Cost: $0.50 per local call
Hours worked: 3 hours
1 slice of Fresh Slice pizza on “Festive Tuesday”
Cost: $1.25 per slice
Hours worked: 7 hours
1 pack of Juicy Fruit gum from London Drugs
Cost: $1.19 per pack
Hours worked: 6 hours
Add 1 flavour to your Starbucks drink
Cost: $0.55 per flavour
Hours worked: 3 hours
Burger 2.85 on Granville and West Pender
Cost: $2.85 per burger from Burger 2.85
Hours worked: 15 hours
1 app from iTunes
Cost: $1.19 for the cheapest apps
Hours worked: 6 hours
Tartar dipping sauce at McDonald’s
Cost: $0.10 per sauce package
Hours worked: 1 hour
1 item from McDonald’s Value Picks menu
Cost: $1.39 per item
Hours worked: 7 hours
Give a meal to someone in need through Save On Meat’s Token program
Cost: $2.25 per token
Hours worked: 12 hours
Treat yourself to one thing a day at Dollarama
Cost: $1.00 per item – the cheapest item you can find at Dollarama
Hours worked: 5 hours
Save 11 months for a round trip airfare to Los Angeles
Cost: $513 including fees and taxes
Hours worked: 2,564 hours (321 full-time workdays)
Toonie Tuesday (Special) at KFC
Cost: $3.29 per Tuesday Special (2 pieces of fried chicken, drumstick and thigh, and regular fries)
Hours worked: 17 hours
A peep show every other hour
Cost: $0.25
Hours worked: 2 hours