The United Way of Haldimand Norfolk has just announced the first-ever local hourly living wage.
Adhering to the principles and methodology of the Canadian Living Wage Framework, they calculated a living wage of $16.58 an hour.
Brittany Burley, executive director of the local United Way, explains that a living wage is different than a minimum wage.
Burley adds that a living wage doesn’t include things like credit card payments, a loan or debt interest, savings for retirement, or the costs of owning a home, it only covers the smallest cushion for emergencies or hard times.
She explains that their living wage was calculated based on a 4-person family with two 35-year old parents working full-time for 35 hours per week, one 7-year old child who attends school and before and after school care and one 3-year old in childcare full-time year-round.
