Minimum wage earners in Lethbridge need to work 50 hours/week to afford rent
LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge is one of the country’s most affordable cities to rent, but you still need to work more than a standard 40 hours to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) looked into the “rental wage” for 795 neighbourhoods across the country to see just how affordable cities really are.
In order to be able to “afford” a rental unit, the CCPA says that no more than 30% of your total income goes towards rent payments. This is known at the “rental wage”.
The rental wage for a two-bedroom apartment in Lethbridge overall is $19/hour. With Alberta’s minimum wage being $15/hour, those at the bottom of the wage floor would have to work an average of 50 hours each week to be able to afford the same place.