Living Wage

A brief history of Living Wage:

• In the 1990s, Living Wage campaigns were launched by collaborative community initiatives in the United States as a possible means of addressing increasing poverty faced by workers and their families.
• Living Wage campaigns have a history of success in over 120 communities across the United States.  Research has given us insights into how to effectively plan and implement a Living Wage initiative. Research has also shown that Living Wage benefits workers and their families, employers, businesses and communities.
• There is a growing awareness that employers who pay poverty wages are being subsidized by taxpayers through government assistance programs, which help many low-wage workers survive.
• The Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) Living Wage Action Team was formed following an exploration of local interest through community consultations in 2003.  A comprehensive research report was completed and disseminated in 2004.
• The Living Wage Action Team has determined that $10 per hour is the starting point for a Living Wage.
• VCC has hired a full-time Living Wage Coordinator to help lead the initiative.
• The Action Team is creating a plan to work collaboratively with The City of Calgary to develop and implement a municipal Living Wage policy, and begin to extend the Living Wage initiative to other sectors.