Here’s what you need to earn to ‘live’ in Halton

According to the Ontario Living Wage Network, the average Halton resident needs to earn $20.38 an hour to have a “decent quality of life”; an increase of 13.54%, which is the highest year-over-year

According to the Ontario Living Wage Network, the average Halton resident needs to earn $20.38 an hour to have a “decent quality of life”; an increase of 13.54%, which is the highest year-over-year increase among the 27 regions with available data in Ontario.

Halton’s livable wage rate is the 2nd highest, only to Toronto ($22.08).

The calculation is based on a family of four with both parents working full time (37.5 hours per week). The rate is meant to cover basic expenses like housing, food, clothing, utility bills, and transportation; plus a modest amount for prescription drugs, dental care, recreation, and entertainment.

“To calculate the living wage for Halton, the Community Development Halton (CDH) researchers employed a model developed by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) that is extensively used in similar calculations for cities and regions in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada”, says Living Wage Halton on its official website. “The calculated amount reflects the actual cost of living in Halton, and also takes into account the taxes, tax credits and benefits (such as the Ontario Child Benefit) that are applicable in Ontario. The CCPA model has been used by Hamilton, Guelph, Kingston and other cities, yielding results that vary from one community to another.”

The Living Wage Halton working group describes itself as a close collaboration of three organizations: Community Development Halton, the Halton Poverty Roundtable, and Poverty Free Halton describing livable wage as “the minimum hourly rate that allows working people to have a decent quality of life”.

Living Wage Ontario instituted a program that allows employers to register as a “Living Wage Employers”.

“Living Wage Employers are responsible employers who care about their employees and the community,” reads the Living Ontario website. “They recognize that paying a living wage constitutes a critical investment in the long-term prosperity of the economy by fostering a dedicated, skilled and healthy workforce. A living wage employer pays all direct and indirect employers the living wage rate for the region(s) in which they operate”.

Employers can register their business and agree to periodic reviews from Living Wage Ontario.