Here's how much you need to earn to afford to live in Vancouver, compared to in other parts of B.C.
Vancouver's skyline is seen in an image from CTV News Vancouver's Pete Cline captured in May 2019 from Chopper 9
Vancouver -
New data released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives highlights just how much more money people need to live in Metro Vancouver than in previous years.
According to the data released Tuesday, the living wage for Metro Vancouver is $20.52, which is more than $5 higher than B.C.'s minimum wage and $1.02 higher than the previous calculation, which was done in 2019.
The living wage is calculated as the hourly amount a person should make to meet basic expenses including rent, child care, food and transportation. It also takes income supports and accessible public services into account.
"The reality is that a number of families across B.C. earn less than a living wage and struggle to make ends meet with the rising cost of living, especially the cost of housing," said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families B.C. organizer, in a news release.
The CCPA said the most significant cost increases were from housing, which rose 8.6 per cent, and telecommunications, which rose six per cent.
While a pandemic-related rent freeze prevented housing rates from rising even higher, the organization said the median monthly rent for a three-bedroom unit in Metro Vancouver rose by $147 in October 2020.
The CCPA does credit provincial investments in child care for keeping the living wage from going up even more.
"This year’s calculation shows the impact of public policy changes since 2018, notably significant child care investments, the new B.C. Child Opportunity Benefit and elimination of MSP premiums, as well as other small changes to government transfers and taxes," French said.
"These changes have helped offset the increase in family expenses since 2018, improving affordability for modest- and middle-income families with young children, which demonstrates the power of good public policy to make life more affordable for families."
A living-wage calculation wasn't made in 2020 because of unprecedented changes and disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the living wages calculated for other parts of the province:
- Fraser Valley: $16.75, up from $15.54 in 2019
- Greater Victoria: $20.46, up from $19.39 in 2019
- Kamloops: $16.71, up from $15.93 in 2019
- Kelowna: $18.49, data not collected in 2019
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
'Oh, there you go': Tyler Black, son of veteran broadcaster Rod Black, has memorable Major League Baseball debut
Canadian baseball player Tyler Black made a major splash in his first-ever big league game for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Facial reconstruction reveals what a 40-something Neanderthal woman may have looked like
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
Weight-loss drug Wegovy available in Canada starting May 6
The makers of Ozempic say their weight-loss drug Wegovy will be available to patients in Canada starting Monday.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Ontario man loses $1,500 applying for Nexus cards on social media
The trusted traveller program between Canada and the United States is extremely popular and almost two million Canadians have a Nexus card.
Companies letting customers opt out of Mother's Day ads
In an effort to balance the profitability of Mother's Day with the pain it causes some people, some brands are offering customers the choice to opt out of Mother's Day email advertising.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Vancouver Island
-
Gaza protesters at University of Victoria say encampment will stay until demands are met
A pro-Palestinian protest camp has formed at the University of Victoria in solidarity with the people of Gaza and with similar encampments that have sprung up on university and college campuses in opposition to the Israel-Hamas war.
-
'It's a people problem': Unsecured garbage bins continue to attract bears on Bear Mountain
Shauna Owens-Krahn lives on Bear Mountain in Langford. Four times a day she takes her dogs for walks through the trails near her home and carries bear spray, just in case.
-
All provincial employees in B.C. directed to change passwords
Every provincial employee is receiving emails or memos directing them to change their passwords immediately, CTV News has learned.
Kelowna
-
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
-
B.C. man rescues starving dachshund trapped in carrier: BC SPCA
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
-
Search crews called in after missing Kelowna senior's truck found
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Edmonton
-
Oilers dominate special teams to eliminate Kings in 5 games
The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings played a tight-checking series at even strength. But the special teams matchup was lopsided - and that's why it ended in five games.
-
ASIRT on track for busiest year on record
Alberta's police watchdog is on pace for its busiest year ever, while it also works through a backlog of investigations from up to six years earlier.
-
Cadence Weapon takes aim at the algorithm in technology-critical album
Cadence Weapon says the release of his tech-skeptical rap album couldn't be timed any better thanks to Drake's latest diss battle.
Calgary
-
ASIRT on track for busiest year on record
Alberta's police watchdog is on pace for its busiest year ever, while it also works through a backlog of investigations from up to six years earlier.
-
One in custody after man suffers gunshot wound in Okotoks, Alta., incident
An Okotoks, Alta., man was rushed to hospital on Wednesday afternoon, believed to have been shot in his own home.
-
High River RCMP officer's car struck by passing truck at highway traffic stop
High River RCMP are calling for increased highway awareness after an officer conducting a traffic stop on Highway 2 narrowly escaped being struck by a truck.
Lethbridge
-
'Here to help': The Watch celebrating 5 years of patrolling Lethbridge streets
Volunteers with ‘The Watch’ program in Lethbridge have been patrolling the city centre rain or shine for five years.
-
Safety gear, training, helped B.C. wildfire pilot survive crash, safety board says
A Transportation Safety Board report says experience, recent training and safety equipment were key factors in a pilot surviving the crash of a firefighting plane south of Cranbrook in August 2022.
-
On do-or-die night in Brooks, Caelan Fitzpatrick comes up big to lead Bandits past Oilers
Facing a Tuesday night elimination game, Caelan Fitzpatrick responded with a hat trick to lead the Brooks Bandits past the Okotoks Oilers 5-1.
Winnipeg
-
High traffic at bustling Winnipeg Costco prompts calls for traffic light
A motion before Winnipeg’s public works committee could make it easier for shoppers who stocked up on bulk packs of toilet paper and chicken breast to exit one of the city’s bustling Costco locations.
-
Interprovincial drug bust led by Winnipeg police turns up millions in drugs, cash, luxury goods
More than a dozen people are facing charges, the majority Winnipeggers, after an interprovincial drug bust that turned up millions of dollars in cash, drugs, guns, jewelry and luxury vehicles.
-
Lawyers for alleged serial killer to argue he is not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers told court they will argue alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women by way of a mental disorder.
Regina
-
Sask. to provide financial support to families with children travelling out of province for care
Sask. families who are required to travel outside of the province to access medical care for their children will receive financial support.
-
Former Regina campground to be turned into Indigenous ceremony site
A former campground in Regina will be turned into an Indigenous ceremony site.
-
Rural Sask. highway closed due to semi rollover: RCMP
Weyburn RCMP say no one was injured in a single-vehicle semi rollover on Highway 18 near Beaubier, but the crash did force the closure of Highway 18.
Saskatoon
-
'Healthy, happy calves': Cow gives birth to rare set of quadruplets in Saskatchewan
A Saskatchewan family won the bovine lottery after their cow gave birth to a rare set of quadruplets.
-
Managers must tell new hires about risk of violence at work under new Sask. employment rules
Saskatchewan employers will be required to tell new hires if they face a risk of violence in the workplace and to take actions against it starting on May 17.
-
'Not an easy task': Police begin 'meticulous' search at Saskatoon landfill in Mackenzie Trottier case
Police officers and cadaver dogs have begun searching the Saskatoon landfill for answers in the Mackenzie Lee Trottier case.
Toronto
-
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
-
Ontario man loses $1,500 applying for Nexus cards on social media
The trusted traveller program between Canada and the United States is extremely popular and almost two million Canadians have a Nexus card.
-
Companies letting customers opt out of Mother's Day ads
In an effort to balance the profitability of Mother's Day with the pain it causes some people, some brands are offering customers the choice to opt out of Mother's Day email advertising.
Montreal
-
McGill offers 'forum' with protesters after judge dismisses injunction request
A judge has rejected a request from two McGill University students for a court injunction to limit where protesters can go on campus.
-
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
-
Gunshots reverberate through Vieux-Longueuil, no arrests made
Longueuil police are investigating after gunfire rang out on Louise Street near Chambly Road.
Ottawa
-
BREAKING NEWSBREAKING NEWS 'Serious' residential high-rise building fire on Donald Street leaves 2 children, adult in critical condition
Ottawa Fire Services says two children and one adult were taken to hospital in critical condition after a fire broke out in a residential high-rise building on Donald Street and St. Laurent Boulevard Thursday morning.
-
It feels like spring this Thursday in Ottawa, here's when it'll start to rain
A good start to the day this Thursday with a mix of sun and cloud along with warm temperatures in Ottawa.
-
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Atlantic
-
'It's got to make some kind of change': Boycott of Loblaws-owned stores begins
For the next month, thousands of shoppers from across the country plan to get their groceries anywhere other than Loblaws-owned stores. The move is an attempt to get the box chain to lower its prices, as frustration grows over the high price of food.
-
Most wanted fugitive in Canada arrested in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Local police say officers arrested Michael Bebee, the most wanted fugitive in Canada, in Charlottetown, P.E.I., Tuesday night.
-
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada were in St. John's, N.L., Wednesday after a plane overshot the main runway at the city's airport.
London
-
'Breaks my heart': Residents react to removal of Canada goose nest, destruction of eggs
Residents who live in the Hyde Park Place apartments in north London, Ont. said they are heartbroken after Old Oak Properties removed two geese nests, containing more than half a dozen eggs.
-
Ontario suspends Sarnia chemical plant approval over benzene emissions
Ontario's Ministry of the Environment has ordered a petrochemical facility in Sarnia to suspend its production operations after high benzene emissions, first flagged by a neighbouring First Nation.
-
PLAYOFF TRACKER
PLAYOFF TRACKER Knights take Game 4 in Saginaw
Sam O'Reilly scored twice and added two assists as the visiting London Knights defeated the Saginaw Spirit 7-3 on Wednesday to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven OHL Western Conference final series.
Kitchener
-
Bullet fired into Waterloo business
Waterloo regional police are looking for the person who shot into the window of a Waterloo business.
-
Charges expected to be laid after three-vehicle crash in Kitchener
Waterloo regional police are expecting to lay charges following a crash involving a transport truck and two other vehicles.
-
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Northern Ontario
-
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
-
Police investigate death in northern Ontario community
The remains of a 44-year-old person were found Tuesday morning on Delamere Road in French River, Ontario Provincial Police said.
-
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
N.L.
-
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
-
'I feel honoured to say I was his friend': Wayne Gretzky remembers Bob Cole
Tributes continue to pour in for Bob Cole as his family has confirmed a funeral will be held for the legendary broadcaster Friday in St. John's, N.L.
-
Voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada' Bob Cole never considered moving out of St. John's
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.
