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By Darren Rathwell

Medicine Hat to be added to living wage network in Alberta

Feb 18, 2022 | 12:18 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Plans are in motion to add Medicine Hat to the living wage network in Alberta.

The network’s goal is to ensure everyone is paid a wage that they can at least survive on.

The program is currently set up in various locations around Alberta, such as Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton.

With help from communities, the network determines just how much a living wage amounts to in their area, based on how much it takes a family of four to adequately care for two children. The formula also factors in the idea the family has two fully employed parents.

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For example, Calgary’s living wage was $18.60 last year, while Canmore was more than $37.

The network’s Franco Savoia is hoping local employers will offer the living wage to employees, if they aren’t already.

Such operations would then be designated as living wage employers by the network.

Savoia asks, “Is it fair that in what you’re paying people they need to go, at least some of the time, to the food bank or they got to go to family because they’re not earning enough, and you’re not paying them enough for them to meet their basic needs?”

He says operations need to realize that Alberta’s minimum wage isn’t enough for people to live on.

Savoia adds the network is working with the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society to bring the program here. A living wage for Medicine Hat has yet to be calculated.