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Downtown Lethbridge, November 14, 2022. The Alberta Living Wage Network lists the living wage in Lethbridge as $20.30 for 2022. (Photo: J. Goulet - LNN)

What’s the living wage in Lethbridge?

Nov 14, 2022 | 11:22 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Updated figures are shining a light on living wages in Alberta.

The Alberta Living Wage Network (ALWN) has released its living wages for 2022. The living wage is the hourly wage an employee needs to earn to cover their basic expenses and to participate in their community.

The living wage in Lethbridge is listed at $20.30 per hour for 2022.

By comparison, the ALWN listed the living wage for Lethbridge in 2021 as $19 per hour.

READ MORE: Report states a living wage in Lethbridge is $19/hour in 2021.

The figures are based on the income needs of three household types: a two-parent family with two young children; a single-parent family with one child; and a single individual who is living alone.

A living wage is different than a minimum wage, which is the legal minimum wage that all employers must pay.

In calculating the wages, the ALWN said it considered the hourly rate of pay needed for a household to maintain a modest standard of living, once government transfers have been added and taxes subtracted.

The network said its evaluation assumed that each adult is working full-time hours and took into account unexpected costs, small investments in education and child care, and participation in community activities.

According to the ALWN, the 2022 living wages for the Alberta communities evaluated are as follows:

  • Canmore: $32.75
  • Fort McMurray: $22.50
  • Calgary: $22.40
  • St. Albert: $22.40
  • Stony Plain: $20.40
  • Cochrane: $22.35
  • Rocky Mountain House: $21.85
  • Edmonton: $21.40
  • Drumheller: $21.20
  • Spruce Grove: $20.70
  • Lethbridge: $20.30
  • Drayton Valley: $19.65
  • Grand Prairie: $19.65
  • Red Deer: $19.65
  • Medicine Hat: $17.50

The ALWN is a network of community organizations and municipalities that works to find a coordinated living wage movement in the province. The network also provides certification to qualifying living wage employers and assists municipalities with their annual living wage calculations.

UNITED WAY RESPONSE

The United Way of Lethbridge and South Western Alberta said due to record inflation rates and the change to the household types evaluated, the living wage is higher than in previous years.

Jaci Zalesak, Executive Director said businesses have faced “unprecedented” challenges over the past two years. Zalesak stated, “The intention of releasing the new living wages for 2022 is to shed light on what it actually costs to live in Alberta, not to add further stress to companies.”

Zalesak continued, “Calculating and publishing the living wage helps inform businesses, as well as policy makers at the local level.”

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