The Living Wage in Prince George has increased significantly over the past four years.
According to a release from Integris, the Living Wage is the hourly wage that two parents working full-time need to earn to support a family.
Prince George’s Living Wage increased to $21.19 per hour, up 27.9 percent since 2018 when it was $16.56 per hour.
“With general inflation shooting up to a 40-year high this year, and with the cost of food rising even faster and rent increasing everywhere, especially for families that need to move and are no longer protected by rent control, it’s not surprising to see such big increases this year,” said Anastasia French, Living Wage for Families provincial manager.
According to Integris, food for a family of four costs approximately $1,119.63 per month, a 15.17 percent increase from last year.
“Food used to be the third-most expensive item but has now edged ahead of childcare costs after the BC government made major investments in childcare affordability in 2018 that significantly reduced out-of-pocket childcare costs for the living wage family,” French said.
Housing was the highest cost.
According to Integris, this year, the Living Wage increased in all BC communities where it has been calculated in the past.
