The numbers are hard to look at. That’s what I told my editor after I finished writing about the latest estimate of a living wage for Sunshine Coast families.
It’s only been a year since I last wrote about the calculations of what it takes to support a family of four on the Sunshine Coast. But with the wage calculations not including debt repayments or long-term savings, “support” goes to “scraping by” quickly. Since the Sunshine Coast Foundation’s last report came out, the living wage has jumped from $19.79 to $24.30 an hour, an increase of 22.8 per cent.
Compare that to the latest census, released in 2021, which revealed the median employment income across the Sunshine Coast was below the nation's median of $37,200.
(Keep in mind, how the rising cost of living affecting senior citizens falls outside of the scope of the living wage report. According to the 2021 census, seniors account for more than 34.5 per cent of the populations in Sechelt, Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast Regional District.)
Rent is the biggest expense in the living wage calculation.
But what is actually affordable?
BC Housing defines affordable housing as “when 30 per cent or less of your household's gross income goes towards paying for your housing costs.” By that logic (and using very basic math), someone making $24.30 an hour would ideally pay $1,020.60 or less in housing per month. Double that for the living wage calculation’s scenario of two parents supporting a family of four and you come to $2,041.20 — but good luck finding a rental priced like that on the Coast.
The information in the living wage report, scary as it is, is crucial to have. After the 2021 report was published, six companies on the Sunshine Coast elected to become living wage employers. They stepped up to certify that they would pay their employees at least the living wage, if not more. As B.C.’s minimum wage is nearly $10 lower than the Coast’s calculated living wage, that is a significant difference.
Another silver lining on this dark cloud can be found in the B.C. budget announced March 1. Starting in July, the BC Family Benefit will increase by 10 per cent. A family of two parents and two children can get up to $250 more per year. A single parent with one child can get up to $650 more per year. In addition to that, the shelter rate of income and disability assistance programs will be increasing by $125 per month starting in July. It’s the first time since 2007 that the shelter rate has been increased like that, and I’ve already received a call from one Sunshine Coast family grateful for that change.
The budget also includes a new income-tested renter’s tax credit expected to help more than 80 per cent of renting households in B.C. receive up to $400 if they qualify. Renters receiving income and disability assistance will be able to claim the new renter’s tax credit and the benefit from the shelter increase. That starts in 2024.
I encourage you to see how the B.C budget can affect your budget at www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2023/. I hope it brings you some good news.
